Uchiha Massacre
by Itonami
Summary: Tsunade assigns Naruto's ANBU team on a mission to kill both Itachi and Sasuke in order to protect the Leaf. Now Sakura must decide if she still loves Sasuke...and also escape the cunning grasp of Uchiha Itachi. ItaSakuSasu, NejiTen, NaruHin
1. Mission: Part I

**Itonami: **Revised and edited for any mistakes. Hopefully, there won't be too much mistakes like last time.

Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Naruto.

* * *

Chapter 1

Hyuuga Neji looked at the time. Putting on his ANBU mask, he bid farewell to Hiashi and Hinata, then disappeared quickly to the place of his ANBU meeting. Now it was five years since the unsuccessful mission of the attempt to bring back Uchiha Sasuke, and two years ago that the second mission failed. But his achievements since then were quite impressive: ANBU captain, accomplished, elite jounin, honored by the Godaime herself, and he was the only exception made from the Branch Family to be accepted as a Main Branch member in his clan.

"You're pretty late, Neji. Did something go wrong?" A voice asked him as he reached the destination.

The Hyuuga looked at his friend coldly. "No, Hiashi-sama just wanted to wish us good luck."

Rock Lee chuckled, obviously amused. His appearance did not change one bit, though he did grow a foot taller. Neji was there when he was awarded with top honors as a taijutsu specialist by the Hokage. He had grown in extreme ways to reach his jounin level, something that filled his eyes with pride every time someone mentioned it. And he was still in love with Haruno Sakura and he did grow in friendship with her, and eventually ended up with him asking for her hand in marriage. It did not end well; she started to cry and told him that she would ruin his life if she did. It was very sad, but he rebounded and continued to patiently heal his relationship between the two of them.

The two teammates waited for the others to arrive. Tenten was next. She had just taken a shower (it was her ritual before going on an ANBU mission) and was busily tying her hair in a careful bun. She spotted them and grinned. "Neji, Lee, how have things been lately?"

Neji took a careful look at her. No injuries, no bags under her eyes—good, she got a good night's sleep, no cheeks that looked sunken—that was good too, that indicated she was eating right, and finally, a smile on her face. It was a habit now, checking her for any signs of sickness or physical pain. _Making sure she won't be a burden during the mission, right? _

"Ohayo, minna-san!" A pretty voice called.

"Sakura-san!" Lee shouted as he waved, a bit over-exaggerating.

Haruno Sakura was now the top medic-nin in Konoha at the fresh age of eighteen. She kept her hair short and she grew in shape and skills as she was taken as Tsunade's apprentice. It was quite amazing how the girl learned so quickly. Not only being a medical shinobi, her brain and tactics could match those of Nara Shikamaru, the head of ANBU tactic and strategy unit. But there were many burdens she still bore on her shoulders even after battling to be free of them for five years.

They waited for the last assigned ninja to come.

Time ticked by.

The Hyuuga grew impatient. Very impatient. He hated, no, he _despised_ the late (and the weak). He began to mutter to himself. That was never a good sign. Soon, he would start pacing. _That _was the sign to not be in within a five yard radius from him. The other three inched slightly away from the fuming Byakugan user and started to pray that the last member would arrive soon.

"Soon-to-be-Hokage Uzumaki Naruto reporting for duty!" A loud voice shouted from behind. "Ne, ne, Hyuuga, what's up? Calm down, I'm here, aren't I?"

The three not involved looked back and forth from a sheepish looking Naruto and a murderously glaring Neji. Tenten laughed nervously and risked her life by stepping in between them. "Captain, no need to be so angry, right? We're wasting even more time. Just let it go, ne? Please?" She used the sweetest voice she could ever muster. Sakura nodded vigorously.

"Tenten-san is right, Neji-san. Let's just go. Naruto won't do it again. Right, Naruto?" She shot him a dangerous look of warning and Naruto grinned his grin and patted the angry ANBU captain on the shoulder. He had to snatch his hand away before Neji ripped it off his arm and made him eat it.

"Ja, should we be off? Neji, you can explain the plan on the way." Lee said, trying to distract his longtime friend from his rage. It worked. Neji snapped back into reality and stared at Lee, surprised he suggested such a sane and logical statement.

"Let's go."

* * *

It was the mission night for the Konohakagure ANBU. The wind howled madly around him, blown leaves slapping against his face. Clouds gathered above the trees where he was perched and the first signs of rain were visible. But these were all ignored as he signaled to move forward with his tongue by clicking it two times. Almost silently, his ANBU team stirred closer to the target. His earpiece buzzed lightly in his ear.

"Position A reached. Target A in sight."

"Position B reached. Target A in sight."

"Position C reached. Target B in sight."

"Position D reached. Target B in sight."

"Alpha had reached Position E. Both targets are in sight. All positions hold. On my signal, Target A and B will be engaged." Chakra veins appeared at either side of his brilliant white eyes and he scanned the area carefully. Everything was going according to plan. With click of his tongue he vanished, leaving only a soft rustle of leaves.

And the others followed the captain.

The two enemy nins bolted from their former spot. Target A pulled back his tattered cloak and threw five kunais straight at Konoha's elite ANBU.

"That doesn't work on me, baka." A soft voice whispered behind the owner of the thrown kunais. Blood flew one graceful, sliding movement of the ANBU's arm. "Target A eliminated." He said as he let the body slump on the ground. He removed his mask, revealing dark silky hair tied back in a low ponytail and his startling white eyes. The ANBU captain stood staring at the body he looked up to see a familiar face.

"Neji-san, any injuries?" She asked routinely. The young medic-nin had also removed her mask and her petal pink fell about her slender shoulders.

The soft buzzing of the earpiece could be heard again and Uzumaki Naruto's loud voice was heard. "Target B has been eliminated. Ramen is my treat when we go back home."

Hyuuga Neji shook his head. "Check the others." She nodded and disappeared in a flash from his sight to search for the others for injuries. His partner, a member of his team, landed softly on the ground to his left.

"Neji, this seems too easy." She said softly, still on alert as if it was still the beginning of the mission.

"I know, Tenten." The white-eyed shinobi muttered quietly as the veins around his eyes massed again. "Something is off."

The rain was coming down in constant sheets now, and thunder cracked overhead, but the weather was the least of their concerns now. Tenten expertly whirled a kunai about her finger out of nervous habit. Her chocolate eyes scanned the area. They would never be able to see as well as the supernatural Byakugan, but she prided herself in never needing glasses and having perfect vision. She glanced at her captain and long-time comrade.

The ever alert Hyuuga Neji…he amazed her beyond anything. She had always admired the jounin genius, though she wished she could do something about his indifferent attitude. His bitterness with the Main Branch Hyuuga had passed and he was on reconciled terms with his uncle and the rest of the Main Branch. Tenten thought that he was now even a little friendly with the rest now that his secret resentment had vanished. He smiled a little bit more, but still, on missions he was that same, ruthless Neji.

"Anything?" She whispered, crouching low with her hands inside her pouches, ready to fight.

The weapon specialist felt him tense and he also crouched in fighting stance. He spoke into the earpiece. "It seems the fight isn't over yet. Two here, and three to the west, where the rest of you are; all are in trees. It seems like they're here for the two bodies. Guard them with your life."

Four sharp "hai"s was heard and they all took a defensive stance. Neji saw them strike. "Here they come."

Steel clashed against steel one after another. Heartbeats quickened into rapid paces as the ANBU team fought back. Neji roundhouse kicked his opponent and saw an opening to press five of his vital chakra channels closed. It proved to be a mistake. The enemy nin saw his intent and ungracefully dodged it, but slapped something of paper material on his arm. Pain shot up and entered into his chest area. It hurt to breathe. Feeling an onslaught of fury, he twisted around him and stabbed once with his kunai and kicking that same area with an iron hard kick. His left arm was now useless and hanging at his side, throbbing horribly with agony. Channeling his chakra to his fingertips, he knocked some of the nin's chakra holes closed. When he was certain that the ninja could not use his chakra, Neji finished him with a powerful blow to the heart, causing it to stop.

Tenten went in and slashed her own opponent, then darted out of hitting range. Throwing her shuriken for distraction, she did this many times until she was able to permanently keep him down. Twisting her kunai into his neck, she made sure he was dead. She pulled his hair back to see the Hidden Mist symbol and Tenten noticed Neji doing the same thing. He let out a derisive snort and turned his face to look at her.

"Damn, that hurt. These Mist nin came to get these pieces of crap?" Naruto's snarling could be heard in the communicating earpiece.

Neji looked amused at the feisty jounin's comment. "Naruto, is everything clear?"

"Yup, looks like it. Sakura-chan went around with soldier pills and is currently coming towards you two."

They heard an obvious rustle few yards away. The pink haired medic came with her kit in hand. Her trained eyes perceived Neji's arm with concern and he held it out for her to look at. Without a word, she gathered precise chakra in her pointer finger and dislodged the strange paper from his arm. She looked at it questioningly then to Neji.

"Do you have any idea what this is?" Sakura asked them. Of course, it was a rhetorical question because she went on quickly. "A paralyzing seal. Not very advanced, though, looking at how slowly it took effect in your body, captain."

Neji glared at it. "I still can't feel my arm."

After Sakura healed the pain away, they agreed to meet back at their temporary base with the bodies. Neji and Tenten leapt in to the trees and headed south. They were soon joined by the three others that partook in the mission: Naruto, Sakura, and Lee.

Upon the arrival, the team sat down to discuss the mission. Sakura passed around food parcels and everyone opened them to eat. All of them thought that the mission seemed too easy for five ANBU to handle. Three ordinary jounins could have easily taken care of this. They fell into silence and Neji stood, stretching his arms and legs.

"We'll inform the Hokage. Perhaps she will know some answers."

The next couple of minutes were spent getting ready for a few hours sleep they would need before heading back to the village. Neji always took the first and the last watches. He sat cross legged on the ground and closed his eyes, feeling everyone settle down around him. He opened his mind to the nature that surrounded him and the meditating captain felt her sit close to him.

"Why aren't you sleeping? We have five hours non-stop travel to do tomorrow." He said quietly.

Tenten sighed. The rain had lightened up, now coming down in a drizzle, as she watched her teammate. She was mesmerized by the sight of his finely chiseled chin and nose. Delicate eyelids covered his white orbs and his long, flowing hair rested against his muscular back. Silent. Always so silent. Sometimes, it was like talking to a brick wall. But he was listening.

_Always listening._

"Do you see something interesting, Tenten?" He asked, and she could almost hear the smirk seeping into his voice. Turning her gaze away, she didn't really reply. The Hyuuga found this a bit odd. "Anything you want to say? You are too quite."

The weapons specialist chuckled and closed her eyes. "I thought you'd like the quiet."

"Your silence is loud. It annoys me." He said dryly.

Tenten opened her eyes again to look at the night sky. Stars glittered heavenly through the disappearing clouds. "Did your father ever look at the stars with you, Neji?"

The inquiry was only met by tense stillness. "Yes, a few times." He said after awhile. He didn't know why she was asking such questions, but if she wanted to know, he would answer.

"I'd wonder, sometimes, if stars tell destinies. I wonder if each star is out there, telling of our destinies." She turned to face him and surprisingly found him looking at her from his meditation.

His eyes seemed to search hers for answers but he didn't say anything. Tenten gently fell on her back on the cool grass, her arm tucked under head for a pillow. She looked at him and then glanced at the space beside her. Taking it as a command, he propped his back from the ground with his elbows beside her, his stretched legs crossed slightly. He lifted his face to the sky, mimicking what she had done earlier and tried to see what she was telling him about.

Stars…their destinies…

"War is a pitiful thing, isn't it, Tenten?" He asked softly, still looking at the sky. Tenten's eyes grew wide at his remark. He continued, "How many people have been lost in this war? That Uchiha, two of my cousins, and two-hundred-thirty-six others as I was informed by Hokage-sama." His silver-white eyes gazed at her, and to her surprise, they were filled with something unexplainable. But the peaceful moment was broken by a stifled sob in the camp.

Tenten looked at Neji curiously and they both listened to the continuing sobs coming from the only other kunoichi that had come on the mission: Haruno Sakura. Being a woman, Tenten quickly stole her way through the resting bodies of her ANBU teammates and arrived beside the medic-nin's side. Tears trickled down her face in steady streams down her pale face, as her sobbing became desperate. Sakura's body was curled up in a protective ball as her tears wet her pillow.

"S-Sasuke-kun, don't leave. Please…I would do anything." She moaned softly in her sleep. Tenten's eyes betrayed a look of sympathy as she heard those words. So, the infamous Uchiha still haunted her dreams. It was a pity that he did not return. Perhaps he could have found something far greater than power and death if he understood what Sakura wanted him to understand.

The medic-nin's emerald eyes shot open and saw the weapon specialist. "Tenten-san, I—" she looked so defeated suddenly, "Why did he have to leave? I don't understand why I am so weak. I promised myself that I would stop crying."

"Stop worrying so much, Sakura. And don't tell yourself that you're weak because that's not true."

The pink haired jounin nodded, flustered that Tenten found her in such a state. She put her head down on her pillow once more and the elder kunoichi could not help but reassure her again.

Neji watched in innocent fascination as Tenten whispered to the Haruno girl in a motherly way. Come to think of it, as he gazed at her, his comrade and friend, she had changed considerably the past few years. Her two usual buns on her head were now pulled back into one, a sign of maturity in her clan. Few stubborn strands of her auburn hair hung loosely from it, making her look quite…attractive. The tie that held the hairstyle in place was a decorative piece, one that the Byakugan user had awkwardly given to her as a present for her eighteenth birthday. It was the only "girly" hair article that she owned. Even with the intensive training, her face was still pale, almost delicately so, and her skin was smooth. However, her hands were almost as hard and calloused as his due to the constant use of weapons.

Tenten made her way through to Neji again after making sure that Sakura fell asleep. He was back to meditating. "Neji, do you ever wonder what happened to Sasuke?"

His eyes opened slowly and fixed on a blade of grass before him. "No."

"Do you think he's dead?"

"No."

"Then what do you think?"

He let out a small sigh. "I think he's power hungry bastard. He is a traitor to the Leaf and should not be forgiven nor be shown mercy. I would like to kill him myself, though I think Naruto will get the honor of doing it first." His brows furrowed in an expression that was halfway between an angry scowl and a sulk. Tenten smiled at his countenance.

"It's a shame that Sakura still loves him…" She cast a worried glance to the fitfully sleeping pink haired ninja.

The Hyuuga snorted. "Love? I see it as more of an obsession."

She couldn't disagree there for only a second. "I think it started out as an obsession. But look at her, Neji; she knows that she loves him. It tears her up inside."

He raised an eyebrow, giving her one of his questioning looks. "Since when did you decided you were going to analyze Haruno's love life?"

It was her turn to snort and punch him on the arm. "I'm not analyzing anything. I'm just telling you to see it in a bigger picture."

"Not the way I heard it." He commented wryly, earning him another punch to the arm. Believe it or not, her punches were strong enough to leave a bruise for a few days.

"You wanted to fight him, didn't you? Sasuke, I mean." She asked him.

Neji shifted his white gaze again. "Aa, but that was before he decided power was more important than the Village." His companion could tell he was bitter towards the Uchiha for that.

"It's been an awful five years, hasn't it? There has been so much war and bloodshed. Sasuke's betrayal, Sound Village's constant attacks, Orochimaru's threat to Hokage-sama, Gai-sempai and Kakashi-sempai ending up in the hospital in critical condition, the second failure to bring back Sasuke…it's been a cruel five years, Neji. I'm just glad you and Lee are all right and not in a hospital of some sort." Her voice trailed off into a whisper and realized that she was staring hard at the ground.

A hand hesitantly covered hers and Tenten looked up in surprise. Neji's eyes were swirling with confusion of his emotions and he glanced at the connection he made. Seeing that her hand made a reaction, he tightened his hold.

"Do you know, Tenten," his face drew closer, "why I pick you first to on my group if I am able?" She baited her breath while she shook her head. He was even closer. "I don't ever want to leave you alone by yourself. If you are on missions with me, I know where you are at all times, and it makes me want to live a little longer." So close, that she could feel his breath tickling her face. "I will never let you cry for me."

Part of him was wondering what had made him say all those things to her. But he meant them. The first time he went away, commanding his own ANBU team, Tenten was left at the Village because of an injury. He couldn't concentrate on anything but how she would be recovering without him there. She was the worry that caused him to briefly give control to Naruto as he recuperated his mind. From then on, he made sure that Tenten was coming with him. She was ANBU for only a few weeks, but he took her everywhere. They would train together, although Tenten always thought it was to make her skills better, but that was only a part of the reason.

"Will you two keep it down? I'm trying to sleep." Naruto snapped sleepily, drowsy, azure eyes glaring at them.

Tenten smiled while Neji looked amused as he looked at her again. His eyes flickered from her eyes to her lips then to her eyes. He calmly took her arms and easily positioned her to sit in his embrace, her back to his chest, letting her feel the rhythm of his heart. Together, they watched the stars.

* * *

Sakura frowned in her sleep. She toss and turned, not knowing how get rid of this strange, uncomfortable feeling.

"_Did you miss me, Sakura-san? Nice to see you again." A voice brushed against her ear, causing her to shiver. Her breathing was suppressed and she felt like her chest had caved in. Sakura sensed the dark presence behind her. _

"_I've missed you. I haven't seen you in two years, I believe." _

"_What do you want?" She gasped out weakly, trembling, and cursing herself for being so weak._

"_Why do you say I want something?" _

"_Why are you here then? Who are you?" _

"_You don't remember me, Sakura-san? That's odd, because I remember you. Haruno Sakura…"_

"_Stop mocking me and answer me." Her ragged breaths quickened slightly, stirring something inside the intruder._

"_I'm sure my little brother has mentioned me, has he not, Sakura-san? I am the brother that he hates and made him betray the Leaf to seek power to kill. I am Uchiha Itachi."_

_The name sent a jolt down her spine. Sakura was now breathing very hard. "How do you know me? I only saw a glimpse of you two years ago."_

_Itachi chuckled softly, a hint of mischievousness seeping into it. "Oh, I've caught more than mere glimpses of you." Sudden images of her undressing completely and stepping into a hot shower flashed before her eyes. _

Gasping, she ripped herself away, feeling suddenly disgusted with herself. Sakura saw that Lee was on watch, with Neji resting with his arm around Tenten, who was curled up next to him. A painful pang of jealousy went through her system as she watched them.

"Lee-san, is everything ok?" She whispered. Lee gave her his famous thumbs up.

"Hai, Sakura-san," she winced when he called her in that way, "why are you awake? We still have a few hours of rest."

"I know. I just had a nightmare…" The medic-nin stared at her hands. "A nightmare…" she whispered to herself.

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Author's notes: **I'm still looking out for mistakes, but this was best I could do so far. I need and beta reader… T-T Anyone?

Yes, yes, Itachi is being a naughty boy, but that won't last long. He's not like that at all for the rest of the story. It was Sakura's dream anyway.


	2. Mission: Part II

**Itonami: **Thank you to all of you who reviewed! They were few, but your words and encouragement meant a lot. I dedicate this chapter to all of you. Hope you like this one!

Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Naruto.

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Chapter 2

Haruno Sakura quickly scanned the cover of her mission folder. A smile played on her face as she read who the leader of it was. A computer printed name was on the file and it was first thing her eyes saw: Uzumaki Naruto. He'd led dozens of ANBU missions; he was one of the most trusted and powerful ninjas in the Godaime's honored circle of shinobis. She was almost always on missions with him and luckily, she was his friend from when they were genins, so she knew how he liked to get things done. But when she opened the file, there was nothing in it. Raising a slender eyebrow in a puzzled manner, she made sure nothing had fallen out of it.

Her search was interrupted by his voice. "Sakura-chan, want to go get some ramen with me? I'm buying!" Naruto called from outside her apartment.

She ran to the window and waved. "All right, Naruto! Let me go get my jacket!" She called down to him and then sped to the chair that held her jacket over its back and grabbed it off. Locking the door behind her, Sakura followed her friend to the Ichiraku ramen stand nearby.

"You know, I could be rich off the money you spend on ramen." Sakura commented off handedly. Her friend grinned broadly.

Naruto was handsome in his own way, as Sakura would describe, and his unruly blonde hair stuck all over the place like a porcupine. His eyes were still the bluest eyes that she had ever laid eyes on and he was a miraculous head taller than her. He was leaner and he changed his orange jumper suit to just a simple orange shirt with his red swirl on the back that signified Uzumaki. He was still hard-headed and loud, but his amazing strength and skill made up for it. Many people were still skeptical of him, but he was still striving for their acknowledgement. She knew he would be able to gain everyone's respect soon.

"Sakura-chan, what are you thinking about? Hurry up and order your ramen! I'm hungry!" Naruto said, almost sounding like the same twelve-year old blonde five years ago. But that wasn't possible because his voice was deeper and more mature, and he sounded more thoughtful, more aware that she was being bothered by something.

The pink-haired jounin dazzlingly smiled. "Oh, sorry, Naruto. I'd like to have the seafood ramen, please." She turned to look at her friend as she rested her head on her delicate hands propped up by her slender elbows. "So, why this invitation to ramen all of a sudden?"

The grin on his face faltered ever so slightly, but he regained his happy composure. "Just treating you, my beautiful friend, to my favorite food. But I did want to talk to you about that mission that you've been assigned. You've only got a couple weeks rest from Neji's, but Baa-chan wanted to explain it personally to us. That's why the folder didn't contain anything. She called for a meeting tomorrow at noon. Supposedly, it was really urgent and she needs you there." He said, looking at her squarely in the eyes.

The Hokage needed her…

During these times of war, medical ninjas were vital parts of a mission. _She _was a vital part of a mission. Sakura was a demand for ANBU missions. But Tsunade-sama usually placed her in the most critical missions that were about to take place. Stress was now a daily part of life. She barely had enough time to herself, but she loved the work. The best part about it was saving lives that could have been lost if she wasn't there, but the worst part of it…was losing them. The lives that were beyond her reach and any hope of saving sometimes came to haunt her. Especially that one boy…the one that she couldn't stop from leaving…

"Oi, why do you keep drifting off on me? Am I really that boring?" Naruto asked, waving a calloused hand in front of her face. She slapped at it, though she was more displeased with herself that she fazed away when her friend was talking.

"Gomen, Naruto. I don't know what's wrong with me today." She sighed heavily. Naruto put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"You'll be all right, Sakura. I promise. I'll look after you." He whispered to her in a serious tone. One of his blue eyes winked at her broadly and ruffled her hair messily.

"Naruto!" She giggled, trying to punish the blonde in some way while trying to fix her hair again. But his words rang inside her like a bell, and she knew that Uzumaki Naruto meant them wholeheartedly, and he would go to extreme lengths to keep his word. That was his ninja way.

Their ramen went untouched as they talked and laughed for a little while longer. He asked for the time and almost fell over backwards in shock. "I have to meet Hinata-chan in five minutes! I'll see you later, Sakura-chan! Be prompt tomorrow, or Baa-chan will be mad as hell!"

Sakura chuckled at the irony. He was something, all right.

Tsunade gazed at the ANBU assembled at her command with tired eyes. The elite, far greater than what she could have ever imagined, but still so young and killing at her command. They never hesitated to do anything for the Leaf. It was their honor to die for it.

The white eyes belonging to a Hyuuga stared at her from the far left. Hyuuga Neji.

The girl with the sharpest weapon accuracy sat next to him while sharpening a curious looking weapon. Tenten

A lazy looking jounin sat next to her, his eyes half closed and sighing every other minute. Nara Shikamaru.

The Hokage's number one apprentice watched her sensei very carefully with her emerald eyes. Haruno Sakura

The confident young shinobi with the dream of being the Sixth Hokage sat next to her, and for once, his face was serious and piercing. Uzumaki Naruto.

And the top taijutsu specialist of Kohana gazed at her with fire determination in his large black eyes. Rock Lee.

Tsunade cleared her throat. All ears listened carefully. "I have called this meeting because I expect that you will not back out of this mission. This is dangerous but I see that if this mission is not successful, the Leaf will be in great trouble. I have contemplated on each of your strengths and weaknesses, and decided that this team will be the best for this mission. There will be absolutely no room for failure."

Neji's eyes flashed curiously at her words. _No room for failure? _

She went on. "I have organized you six to take the mission of eliminating the two sole survivors of the Uchiha clan."

Sakura took a few minutes, trying to absorb Tsunade's words through her shock. The Uchihas…Itachi and Sasuke. They were to die under the Leaf's hand. She found it suddenly hard to breathe. Naruto's hand was squeezing hers beyond the point of letting circulation, but she didn't even notice. Her green eyes were wide mixed with emotions of both horror and despair. _Kill Sasuke-kun!_

Neji tensed beside Tenten, grasping the arms of his chair at the news. His face clouded in worry and anger at the bitter memories of five years ago. How he had almost died and caused Tenten not to eat in three days, just sitting by his side, waiting for him to get better. But he was glad. He finally got the chance to see that bastard die. He would make sure he suffered for everything he had done. No mercy would be shown and no grace would be given. Uchiha should just die now and make it easier for himself.

Shikamaru groaned inwardly. _Damn, this is troublesome. I hope Naruto can control his temper this time. _

Lee cast a dark, worried look to Sakura, who was sitting there in disbelief. Naruto was looking equally taken aback but rage started to swirl slowly in those cobalt orbs.

The blonde had actually never forgiven Sasuke from two years back, when the Uchiha heir refused to go back to the Leaf for the second time. No matter how much of a friendship they had before, it was shattered that day.

Sakura was there also, calling Sasuke's name over and over again, her face streaming with tears, as she begged him to come back again…come back to her, and she told him how hard it was living without him. But her pleas fell on deaf ears and the Sharingan user murdered her heart by sneering at her spitefully in words Lee still could not forget to this day:

"_If it's so hard to live without me then just kill yourself. I'll see you in hell sooner or later."_ Sasuke insulted her dignity and honor, by telling her that she was not strong enough to live without him. That was never true. And hell was never a place where Sakura could go, because she was an angel…an angel that loved a demon so corrupted and black, that he would condemn her to the fiery pit where only evil dwelled.

Lee's hands bunched up in tight fists as he recalled those terrible memories. He clamped shut his eyes to calm himself down, but snapped open when the chair beside him was violently knocked over.

"Tsunade! You can't send Sakura to do this! Do you know what that bastard did to her that day! Do you! It will kill her see that shithead again! No! Sakura can't go! I—!"

The Hokage cut in. "I was already told of that, you baka! Sit down and listen to me!" Naruto was still shaking with rage, but Sakura pulled on his arm gently, motioning him to sit. The angry ninja grabbed his fallen chair and slammed himself down, crossing his arms and glaring at the Godaime.

Tsunade let out a tired sigh and when she spoke, her voice was soft and she looked directly into her rosy haired student. "I know you have been through a lot these past two years. You have grown in strength, skill, and heart since then. But Sasuke has grown also, although in different ways. He has multiplied in strength, his Sharingan powers are horrifying, and he has doubled his hatred for his brother. He left Orochimaru to seek his own way to his brother. The boy is still hell-bent on revenge. Itachi and his Akatsuki have destroyed numerous villages. _They spare no one_.

"But this mission will require a lot of thinking and planning. This is why I have assigned Haruno Sakura and Nara Shikamaru will be joining you. They will have to come up with some sort of plan that will have the ultimate goal of somehow pitting the two brothers against each other…till one dies. The other that remains standing will be eliminated by this ANBU team. Sakura will not even have to see Sasuke or Itachi but since she is a medic-nin, she will go with you to help heal injuries."

Sakura stood up. "Tsunade-sama, you know I can take care of myself and fight. You've taught me almost everything you know. I don't want to be just a medic-nin or a just a strategist. I want to take part in this mission…as an ANBU shinobi."

"Sakura-chan! You can't!" Naruto interrupted. She wheeled on him, glaring at him with pained, angry eyes.

"Can't I! Why not, Naruto? Are you afraid I'm just going to faint or start begging on my knees when I see him like I did two years ago! That—that bastard! I will fight him! I will be a part of this mission as ANBU. I earned my place here. You know it, Naruto. Emotions don't play any role in missions, right, Tsunade-sama?" Sakura gulped painfully and stilled her heart. "S-Sasuke-kun…doesn't mean anything to me anymore."

Silence was the only that existed in that room. Lee stood up. "I believe Sakura-san can do it. We all can. If we don't, Itachi will surely bring the Akatsuki here. Our Village needs our protection. We must do this, we must by setting aside our emotions and selfishness and simply complete this mission."

The others slowly nodded in agreement. Tsunade looked sternly at them. "Good, the mission will start two days from now at 0800 hours. You are dismissed."

* * *

Sasuke sat on the lowest branch of a tree while he sharpened his kunais. Ebony eyes, cold as steel, gazed lazily at the object in hand. Pressing his finger on the tip of it, he watched a droplet of blood ooze from the miniscule wound. Thin lips curled at one end to create a smirk very well known. The darkening day matched his mood. The Uchiha licked his blood off and put the kunai back in his holster. He stretched his long legs and well defined arms until a few satisfying cracks reached his ears.

"Sasuke-kun, what are you doing all alone?" A voice drawled from below.

The missing-nin saw the pale, hollow face of Orochimaru.

"I told you to leave me alone, Orochimaru." Sasuke said, jumping down from the tree. He began to walk away.

"Tell me what's bothering you, Sasuke-kun. Is it more power you seek?"

The Uchiha turned his head. "No,"

Cat-like eyes narrowed dangerously at the retreating figure. "If you walk away now, I will show you how I deal with deserters later."

A soft, resounding chuckled could be heard. "I look forward to it…Orochimaru-_sama_." His deep voice was full of sarcasm and scorn.

Darkness enveloped him and he disappeared from view. _I will find you, Itachi. You will rue the day you decided to kill my family. _Sasuke's eyes turned bloody red, three blades swirling madly around his pupils. The Sharingan was the ultimate weapon. No one would stand in his way.

_Sakura was on her knees in front of him, interrupting a brief exchange of blows between Naruto and him. _'_Sasuke-kun, please come back. Come back to me; come back to your friends! It's...it's so hard to live without you. Please, I would do anything!' _

'_If it's so hard to live without me, then just kill yourself. I'll see you in hell sooner or later.' His handsome face was twisted with malice and cruelty, mocking her with a voice that she longed to hear._

_Her tears dripped from her face, as she stared at him in shock. 'W-what?'_

'_You are a weak piece of nothing. Why would I come back to something as pathetic as you?'_

'_You've gone too far, you bastard!' Naruto shouted from behind, his Rasengan ready and charged full blast. _

He scoffed at the sudden memory. "What losers…I don't need them. I never needed them, ever. Especially her. I even forget her name now." That was a lie, though. He could never forget her. She loved him even then. But he never understood.

Haruno…Sakura…she told him five years ago that she loved him with all of her heart. He wondered if she still had a place for him somewhere in there. Sasuke laughed bitterly. "Thinking about her is dangerous territory, Uchiha. It's over. She's gone."

Sakura tiredly walked back to her apartment, thinking about the mission ahead. '_S-Sasuke-kun…doesn't mean anything to me anymore.' Did I truly mean that? _She no longer got those jittery feelings whenever she thought about him, and she didn't miss him so much anymore. Unlocking her door and kicking off her shoes, the jounin walked in dropping her keys at her kitchen table and put on a kettle for some tea.

Plopping herself down on the couch, she sighed and rubbed her temple. The news hit her hard. Sasuke was a danger to Kohana and Itachi was an even worse threat. She had a duty to the village. No matter how attached she was to him before, those affections left her two years ago. Or had they? No matter how much she told herself that, there was an unmistakable feeling of longing for his presence to be beside her. It was an awful feeling.

Missing someone and longing for them were on different levels.

She heard the kettle whistle madly and she ran to turn off the stove. Making tea to soothe her mind, Sakura decided to hum. It always got her mind off of things. She had to rest up for the mission. It could be the last one she would ever be on. Sakura wouldn't dare mess this up.

Thinking about the mission, she started to plan. "Shikamaru is the main strategist. I think I should go call him. Maybe he's not feeling too lazy to get a head start on this mission."

Stretching her lithe figure, she called up the Nara residence. "Hello? Shikamaru, this is Haruno Sakura. I was thinking about the mission and wondered if you and I could get together and start on the plans and tactics…you will? Great, where can I meet you? Where? Choji's? Why? They have a place where you like to watch _clouds _at! …Ok, fine. I'll see you in about an hour then. Bye."

Sakura shook her head. "He likes to watch the clouds? Shikamaru is one odd duck."

Forty-five minutes later, Shikamaru was heading towards the Akimichi residence in a lazy gait with his hands shoved in his pockets. "Why does Sakura have to be so hard-working? I guess she likes to prepare in advance. How troublesome."

"Shika-kun, over here!" Someone shouted behind him.

Slowly turning around, his lazy brown eyes landed on Yamanaka Ino. "Yo," he said, taking the time to actually raise a hand in a wave to her.

"Where are you going?"

"Sakura wanted to start planning for our mission two days from now."

The blonde looked thoughtful. "Ah, don't forget our date tonight! I'll see you later, Shika-kun!" She said, waving behind her shoulder while she skipped away.

Shikamaru sighed. "Today is a busy day. What did I do to deserve this?" He pleaded to the sky, as if it held the answers to his problems.

Sakura saw the tall, lanky shinobi as she walked to her destination. "Shikamaru!" She ran to catch up with him. "You ready? I really don't have any place to start. I asked Tsunade-sama where Uchiha Itachi was currently located, and she said near in the Mist Village. The other Uchiha's location is not yet known. She informed me that she sent a few scouts looking for him."

Shikamaru nodded and stretched. "Sasuke left the Sound to venture on his own two years ago, when he found out that Orochimaru was keeping secrets from him. No one knows where he ran off to. Frankly, I don't care, but now his whereabouts are crucial for our mission." He took out a map from his jounin vest. Spreading it out on where they were sitting, he point to a certain area. "Here, is the Sound. If Itachi is here, Mist, then logically speaking, Sasuke would go southwest to engage him. Correct?" Sakura nodded. The tactician continued, "but since scouts haven't seen him near there, Sasuke is probably in this middle area between them. But what I don't understand is, if Sasuke is so bent on avenging his clan, why didn't he try to kill Itachi by now?"

Sakura was silent. "Maybe he doesn't know Itachi is there." She breathed softly, staring at the map. "Sasuke could be looking for him. This is impossible. He could be anywhere by now!"

Shikamaru glanced at the girl beside him. "C'mon, we can do this, right, Sakura? Don't get so frustrated now. Do you have anything you do when you get frustrated or stuck?"

Sakura tapped the side of her head. "I like to pace. It helps with the stress."

"All right, then just pace around. I'll think, too. Two heads are better than one and it's less troublesome."

The two jounins did their individual thinking processes. One sat down with the fingertips of each finger touching each other while the other paced up and down, slender brows furrowed in deep concentration.

Minutes flew by, then soon hours passed.

Abruptly, the two of them looked at each other and cried at the same time, "I got it!"

* * *

**Author's Notes: **There it is. Long work. I very much hope you enjoyed it. The story will start taking bigger, wilder, faster twists soon! I hope you look forward to them. I look forward to writing them. Keep reviewing, please! I've had some requests for Itachi x Sakura. I still don't know how it's fully going to turn out. 


	3. Mission: Part III

Thanks for your reviews! Here is the third chapter of **Uchiha Massacre.** Enjoy!

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Naruto

Chapter 3

Uchiha Itachi watched the terror and the destruction indifferently. Fires sprouted everywhere, reducing houses to ash while women's screams could be heard. It was dark and the smoke from the blazes covered the starry night sky.

His Akatsuki robe was tugged on furiously. He looked down to discover a little girl with a tear-streaked face holding onto her teddy bear. "Nii-san, please help my mommy! She's trapped in the house! She can't get out! Please, save her!" Itachi crouched to be at eyelevel with her. His hand slipped out from his robe and grasped her firmly by the neck. With a quick flick of his fingers, the little neck snapped.

He carelessly let go, and the small body crumpled to the ground, green eyes wide open in horror, her mouth agape. Seeing the girl's eyes, he uncharacteristically frowned and reached down to close the dead girl's eyes. An image of a girl with pink hair flashed in his mind. His lips tugged into a miniscule smirk as he thought about her. Itachi had seen her two years ago when the Leaf sent a team of chuunins. Sakura was on her knees in front of his brother, pleading him to come back to the village, and when she was camping with her ANBU team couple of weeks ago. He could almost smell the fear radiating from her. The usually, impassive man had experienced a shiver of pleasure when he entered her mind and played with her.

"Itachi, no ones seems to know anything here." Kisame muttered, interrupting Itachi's thoughts.

The elder Uchiha turned his head slightly, his red eye looking at him. "Burn everything."

The shark-like ninja chuckled sickeningly delighted with the command.

Itachi looked down at the corpse of the girl lying at his feet. It was strange, but he found himself smiling, or his own small display of it, every time the memory of Sakura came up. He wanted to touch her, just feel what her pale skin felt like. But the leader of Akatsuki didn't think like that. Women weren't exactly his top priority.

He looked to the burning village. "We are still after you, Kyuubi. The Leaf can't protect you forever."

* * *

Same day of the assigned mission:

Sakura sprinted all the way to the Hyuuga mansion, which was hidden from the rest of the village in a dense forest area. "Hinata-chan! Hinata-chan!" She called as she neared her destination.

A bright looking Hyuuga Hinata opened the shoji door to greet her friend. "Sakura-chan, what are you doing here?"

Another form appeared behind her. "Sakura-chan? Did you come to steal Hinata-chan away from me?" A blonde ninja smiled, resting his chin on the person in front of him. "I'm afraid I can't let you do that, Sakura-chan. You see, I promised Neji-_niisan_ that I would look after this pretty girl." He stuck a sly tongue out, while Hinata was blushing furiously.

The petal-haired woman placed her hands on her hips. "You baka, I didn't come to steal Hinata, I came to talk to her. It's important girl-talk, I'm afraid, Naruto. You'll have to go play with Neji-san for awhile."

Naruto looked at her as if she grew another arm. "Are you _crazy? _Do you think I'm dumb enough to interrupt his "training" session with Tenten? Who knows what they're doing?!"

Hinata looked at him with wide, shocked eyes. "N-Naruto-kun! Don't talk like that about Neji-niisan! He and Tenten don't do anything!"

Naruto winked at her. "How would you know, Hinata-chan?" He pinched her cheek lightly. "I'll leave you and Sakura alone for just a minute. Maybe I will go bother him and Tenten. Just for fun. Ja ne!" He bounded out like an eager schoolboy. The Hyuuga heir stared after him.

Turning politely to her friend, Hinata smiled. "So, what is it that you wanted to talk about?"

Sakura ignored the question for a second. Her green eyes were soft. "You and Naruto get along great, Hinata. I'm so glad for you."

"Thank you, Sakura-chan. Naruto-kun is a wonderful person. He's like my new best friend." She looked down at her hands. "Ever since he's been here, he's given me so much courage, Sakura-chan. I feel like I'm a whole new person."

The jounin smiled at the Hyuuga. "Look, Hinata, I have a favor to ask…"

Hinata sat listening to her friend's words quietly. After Sakura finished, the white eyed woman nodded. "I see. Have you asked Hokage-sama yet?" Receiving a no, she eyed her knees. "If the Godaime will allow it, then yes. I agree."

Green eyes went wide as she squealed with glee. "Thank you, Hinata-chan!" She wrapped her arms around the fragile Hinata in a bear hug. They were broken up by a loud crash outside.

"Naruto, you dirty little pervert!" A high pitched voice screamed. A yelp of pain could be heard. Upon opening the door, they saw a hysterically raging Tenten throw weapons of all sorts at Naruto while a smug Neji stood to one side with his arms crossed.

"Neji-san, what's going on?" Sakura asked.

The male Hyuuga looked a bit surprised to see her but greeted her and his cousin. "Hinata-sama…Haruno…I saw Naruto behind a tree while Tenten and I were training."

"Why is she calling Naruto-kun a pervert?"

Hinata's question was met by silence. Sakura stifled a giggle and Neji shot a glare at her. "Oh, I see what Naruto meant by Neji-san's "training" session with Tenten. Naughty Neji-san."

Neji's face grew heated as he heard her comment. "We weren't doing anything, if that is what you're poorly trying to imply, Haruno. Tenten usually doesn't like people stumbling onto her when she's trying to take a bath in the river after training."

Naruto agilely dodged the several kunais thrown. His blue eyes grew wide and sparkly at Hinata. "Hinata-chan, help me!" He pleaded in a soft whisper, inticing something in Hinata.

Obviously, that worked. The woman rushed to help him and Tenten, seeing her friend in the way of her target, had to stop. "Tenten-chan, please stop. Naruto probably didn't mean any harm. I apologize for him." She bowed low. Tenten looked sheepish.

Neji scoffed. "Pathetic, Naruto. Tenten, your aim was quite off."

The brunette glared at him. "Really? Would you like to try, _Neji-chan_?" She said sarcastically. Neji looked amused.

Sakura looked at the time and knew that she had to go Tsunade soon. "Look, you guys have fun. I need to go see the Hokage." She dashed off.

Naruto's eyes narrowed in his clueless way. "What's her hurry?"

Hinata smiled at him. "Would you like some tea, Naruto-kun?"

"Sure!"

* * *

Sakura arrived at the Hokage Tower in an hour and knocked on Tsunade's office door. "Come in, Sakura." She walked in to see her old sensei standing next the desk.

Her face broke into a wide smile. "Kakashi-sempai!" She ran to him and threw her arms around his neck. He grinned behind his mask as he hugged her back.

"Yo, Sakura. How have things been going?" He asked her after she pulled away.

"I should ask you first! Where have you been? Naruto and I have been worried sick about you!" She said, hitting him playfully on the chest.

His one visible eye looked weary. "I've been one of the scouts tracking down Itachi and Sasuke. I just came back to report."

Her smile faded. "You mean, you're leaving again?" Her head dropped and she stared at her feet. She felt his finger under her chin, pushing it up gently to meet his eye.

"Sakura, this is important. You know that, right? This is critical to the mission given to you."

The young woman nodded slowly and hesitantly. She faced the Tsunade. "Tsunade-sama, I've come to make a request. In the afternoon, I met with Shikamaru to start work on a plan. But we came up with a conclusion that we need one more person on the team." She paused, waiting for her sensei's permission to continue. The Hokage nodded. "We need another ninja that can keep an eye on things, a base, so to speak. I want to request Hyuuga Hinata for this position. I went to speak with her this morning, and she as agreed as long as you allow her to."

Tsunade looked thoughtful. She rested her chin on her hands. Sakura had spoken well. "I see. Very well, I will assign her to the mission. But have you considered that she is only a chuunin with no ANBU experience at all?"

"Yes, Tsunade-sama. She will not engage the enemy in anyway."

The elder woman nodded. "Well done, Sakura. You are dismissed."

Sakura bowed and gave another hug to her former sensei. "Be careful, Kakashi-sempai. We need you here."

"I know, Sakura. I'll bring some presents if I can." He ruffled her hair affectionately.

"I'll see you later, Kakashi-sempai." She disappeared with a poof. The medic-nin ended up right outside the Tower and she started towards her apartment. But her feet seemed to have minds of their own and led her in the opposite direction. Soon, she knew where they were taking her. She recognized the familiar trail. In the distance, the Uchiha manor loomed threateningly, daring her to come closer.

The enormous house was quite run down ever since the clan was massacred by…Itachi. She ran her fingers along the soiled wooden structure. Gazing around the outside, it made her curious to see what was on the inside. Sakura carefully slid back a door, taking extra caution to be gentle and accidentally make the door crumble.

It was quite empty. The stale dust made her cough. She went into the next room, and found a closet and a low table. One of the walls was decorated with aged kunais nailed to the wall in an interesting pattern. There was a piece of paper on the low table and she went to it, looking down at what it was. It was a picture of a four-person family. It was done with colored pencils and it wasn't the best drawing in the world. The drawing indicated that a young child drew it. Above each person in the picture, in childish writing, it said: Me, Itachi-niisan, Oka-san, Oba-san. The jounin smiled faintly. _Sasuke…You once had so much innocence…if you could see how much you changed, you might be surprised. _She laughed softly. _Maybe not. You probably know how much you changed. But…_Sakura trailed her hand over the paper. _Why do I miss you so much?_ So this was Sasuke's room when he lived here. Her eyes stung at the desire to cry but she suppressed it.

She saw the kitchen next in her exploration. It was untouched, only by age and dust. The kitchen table had a plate set out for four, chopsticks and spoons all in perfect order. _Maybe his mother was a very organized woman._ A pair of chopsticks was smaller than the others and they had a cute, cartoon cat engraved into the wood. Sakura could help but giggle at it, surprised that Sasuke had ever been this way.

A sudden noise startled her and she took a kunai, crouched in a defensive position. Her eyes narrowed and waited for the attacker. A soft mew sounded from her left and she snapped her head to look, only to discover a brown, stray kitten. Large dark gray eyes stared at her, almost asking if she could pick it and pet it. Not sensing any chakra, she gently put out her hand, letting it know she meant no harm. The chocolate kitten excitedly rubbed itself against her hand, purring happily. She picked it up, carefully resting it comfortably against her chest, Sakura smoothed out its fur. Looking around, her eyes landed on Sasuke's chopsticks. "I'll name you Sasuke's Chopsticks. Wait," she paused to lift the baby cat a little, checking the underside. "Yup, you're a boy. Then, Sasuke's Chopsticks it is."

She looked around. "Do you want to help me clean this place up? I'd like the help." Sakura was answered by a pleasant mew from Sasuke's Chopsticks.

The pink-haired jounin sighed as she looked around. "Let's go get some cleaning supplies from my apartment, ne, Chopsticks?" She raced out to her apartment.

Several minutes later, she arrived back to the manor, carrying bags of cleaning supplies, rags, and dusters and Chopsticks followed beside her, walking as fast as his four, short legs could carry him.

First thing to start Sakura's cleaning was to open all the sliding doors so that the dust had somewhere to go. Next, she took two feather dusters, one in each hand, and began to dust. Sakura wore a mask to prevent herself from inhaling dust. It was a strange picture: a jounin with petal colored hair, wearing a pink, flower-printed apron, a white mask, and two feather dusters going about with dust flying everywhere. The dusting took a long time. But then, she had to scrub the floors. Sakura touched the wood, wondering what kind of cleaner would be best for it. Deciding on one, she initiated the floor cleaning while Chopsticks slid along the slippery floor. She stopped her work for a minute to soak Sasuke's blankets that she found in his closet. She hung them out to dry as the sun set.

It was well into the night when she finished. Now the house looked as good as new. Feeling proud of her work, she went into Sasuke's old room. Sakura sat down in the middle of the room and smiled. Chopsticks crawled exhaustedly on her lap, and curled up for a long sleep. But it was against interrupted by a loud grumbling noise from Sakura's stomach. She giggled.

"Let's go home and sleep. I need to eat, too." The tired cleaner grabbed the dried blankets and folded them neatly. She trudged out and towards her apartment, the kitten asleep in her arms. Fumbling with her keys, she opened the door and went straight to her room, placing Chopsticks on her bed, and then headed for her kitchen. Sakura decided on instant ramen, since she didn't feeling like cooking anything. After eating, she showered and brushed her teeth, then finally, fell asleep next to her new kitten.

* * *

The peaceful morning and Sakura's deep sleep were interrupted by someone. "Oi, Sakura-chan! You awake yet? Hello?!" Naruto's voice called out from the other side of her door.

A frazzled looking Sakura woke up and dragged herself to the door, opening it and seeing Naruto, Hinata, Shikamaru, Neji, Tenten, and Lee. Her green eyes grew in size and slammed the door. Straightening out her hair and putting on her best smile, she opened the door again.

"Ohayo, minna-san. I'm sorry I'm late, but is there something going on?"

Naruto ginned. "It's Neji's birthday."

"Oh! Really, Neji-san? Congratulations!" She exclaimed.

Lee looked at her in a funny way. "Sakura-san, are you feeling ok?" He put a hand on her forehead.

"Of course, Lee-san! I feel great! It is Neji-san's birthday, after all, right?" She said brightly.

Neji scowled. "Naruto and Lee thought it was a good idea to celebrate it before the mission."

Sakura nodded. "Let me get ready first. Would you like to come in?"

The other five standing outside came in and awkwardly stood in her living room while Sakura got ready lightening fast. Chopsticks woke up and wondered what the commotion was all about. He wandered in and immediately spotted a person that he liked. Darting to the person's legs, the kitten purred and rubbed against them affectionately.

Neji's scowl deepened as he felt the brown fuzz ball play with his footwear. Soft mews came from it and it looked at him with big gray eyes. Tenten beside him giggled. "I didn't know Sakura had such a cute kitten. It seems to like you a lot, Neji. Oh, come on, Neji, just pet it. It means no harm."

"I don't like cats." He snapped, his white eyes glaring at the kitten rolling playful at his feet. Tenten picked him up. "Tenten, no. Put that thing down. You don't know where that's been."

"Aw, Neji, look at its big eyes! It loves you!" She cooed, holding Chopsticks out for the Hyuuga. He backed away.

"Tenten, I told you to put it down." She came closer with the cat. "No, Tenten, leave it. Stop coming closer!" He barked, stepping backwards towards the couch. Tenten advanced swiftly, making the Byakugan genius trip and sit down. Setting down the kitten down calmly on Neji's chest, she took a step back. Naruto, Lee, Shikamaru, and Hinata all had to laugh at the sight. Hyuuga Neji had his back pressed desperately against the plush sofa, his silver-white eyes wide with terror as the kitten snuggled closer to his face. He shut his eyes tightly as he heard Chopsticks purring grow louder.

"Chopsticks, what are you doing to Neji-san?!" The Hyuuga's savior came rushing to the two of them and picked the cat up. "I'm sorry, Neji-san. But he really isn't dangerous. You looked like as if he could kill you."

Neji's cool, apathetic demeanor replaced his panicked look. He glanced at the dejected looking kitten and a pang of guilt went through him. "Can I see him?" Sakura looked, puzzled, and reluctantly handed the kitten to him. To everyone's surprise, the ANBU jounin carefully cradled Chopsticks.

Sakura smiled. "His name is Chopsticks. Would you like him, Neji-san? He seems to like you more than me." Neji looked at her in surprise. "As a birthday present, Neji-san, I'd like it if you would give him a happy home."

He shook his head, smiling at the cat. "No, I'm afraid not."

Naruto put his arm around Hinata. "Should we go then? I'm starving!"

They went to Naruto's ramen place (I forget the name… I'm very sorry! Please tell me in a review!) with Sakura carrying Chopsticks—Neji didn't want to be seen carrying the cat—and they ordered ramen of their preference.

"Happy birthday to Hyuuga Neji!" Naruto announced, raising his drink in the air. People turned their heads to look at the group

"Not so loud, Naruto." Neji hissed, forcefully making the loud ninja sit down. The rest laughed and raised their drinks also and drank to him. Chopsticks wiggled out of Sakura's hold and leapt to Neji. Successfully landing on the person's lap, the kitten purred.

The small party was suddenly ruined when Shizune rushed to them, panting and sweating. "Kakashi is critically injured! You need to leave for your mission now! Tsunade is too busy to see you off, but she sent me to inform you that you need to go now! Here!" She shoved a scroll to Shikamaru. "There is all the information that you need to start planning. Go now!"

Everybody was on their way, but Neji stopped and held out Chopsticks to Shizune. "Please, can you deliever him to Hyuuga Hanabi? Tell her that I need her to take care of him for me while I'm on this mission." The Hokage's assistant nodded briefly and disappeared with the kitten.

The seven that made up Naruto's ANBU team sped off, grabbing their gear and food supplies. While they jumping from tree to tree, Shikamaru explained the plan.

"I read the scroll given to us and it says that Sasuke is in Grass country, too far from our other target to going for him. My guess is Sasuke doesn't know where to start looking for his brother. So, our plan is to speak to him first. We need to get him to follow us to Itachi. We already know of Itachi's whereabouts. Only one of us will approach Sasuke, while everyone else gets in position. Tenten, you will be the one to talk to him. The rest of us will split into two teams: Neji, Sakura, and Lee will be on one team, while me, Naruto, and Hinata is in the other. The Hyuugas will act like our eyes and you two will keep looking for anything suspicious. If any of you see Tenten coming, with or without Sasuke, you need to tell us right away.

"Tenten, you are going to play a pivoting role here. You need to persuade him to follow you to Itachi. If that doesn't work, just straight out tell him where Itachi is and get out of there as soon as you can. Sasuke isn't someone to provoke.

"Now, Tenten, when you come back, you'll be with Neji's team. They will be located in the south, here, " –he pointed to a spot on the map— "and you guys will watch Sasuke engage Itachi. We will be in the north, here" –he indicated to another location— "and we will be watching them too. When the battle seems like it's going to end soon, close in. Naruto, any objections?" Naruto shook his head. "You'll give the signal and we will all follow you. Sakura, did I hit everything?"

Sakura nodded, her face serious and void of any emotion. "If this fails, we will go to plan B. But plan B won't be needed, unless something goes really wrong. This plan is able to adjust. Tenten, the initial start of this mission counts on you."

"Hai, Sakura."

"You need to go west while we go east. Find Sasuke and bring him east. Everyone clear? Alright then, earpieces in, and let's go."

Neji stopped Tenten for a second. "Be careful, Tenten." He embraced her tightly and she hugged him back, not letting go for the hope of seeing him again. "I…I need you to be back." He whispered ineptly.

"I will. I promise. I'll see you later."

The two of them disappeared in a flash…though in opposite directions.

* * *

**Author's notes: Well, I hope you liked this one! Next chapter will be the actual mission taking place. I'm excited to write it! Neji and his kitten are very cute. I couldn't resist. Sakura looks like she's really eager to kick some ass, and very soon, a new twist will come and intervene in this mission. Keep reviewing!**


	4. Mission: Part IV

**Itonami: I apologize on my hands and knees for being so late with this chapter! Blame the exams! I've been so busy studying and I haven't gotten the chance to write so much. But to grovel at your feet for forgiveness, I have written a more romantically oriented chapter… I think… It is my peace offering! Hopefully, you'll be satisfied! **

Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Naruto.

* * *

Chapter 4

Sakura leapt through the trees with Lee and Neji, keeping on alert for any sighs of other movement or chakra. The Hyuuga beside her had his Byakugan on, chakra veins feeding his eyes to see beyond normality. Lee turned his head from side to his, mostly his ears doing the listening for anything.

They neared their destination quite quickly, Naruto keeping them informed about his own team's location. Tenten also kept them updated in her search for Uchiha Sasuke, with Neji feeling a wave of relief whenever he heard her voice. Sakura couldn't help but smile just a little when she heard the infamous Byakugan user sigh softly when the weaponry master spoke.

They reached a little village, untouched by the Akatsuki incessant rampage. Naruto, on their earpieces, suggested that they make camp in the forest nearby. Everyone agreed and traveled on past it.

Neji was getting just a little edgy. It was now two hours since Tenten last updated on her status. She was now out of his Byakugan's range, and it frustrated him to no end. They were already at the assigned location and the weapon master still had not reported. _Damn it, Tenten, why aren't you talking?_ He felt the strong desire to turn around a search for her himself. But he had a duty to the ANBU. He couldn't just abandon them for his own desire to see her back by his side. Angrily, the Hyuuga punched a tree trunk, causing it to collapse on itself.

Sakura sighed as she heard her teammate attacking the poor tree target. He was never in good humor if something irritated him. Neji was a hard person to deal with. _He's almost as stubborn as…_the jounin stopped and looked down at her hands softly. _Sasuke…_Lee patted her on the shoulder reassuringly, though he didn't really know what she was thinking about. "Lee-san, how long has it been since we've made camp?"

Lee thought for a moment and smiled at her. "Almost an hour or so since we have camp and about thirty minutes has passed since Neji decided to destroy our forest cover." He glared at his longtime friend.

But the Hyuuga was in no position to stop, so he turned his white eyes towards the pair and said emotionlessly, "I'm going to train."

Without another word, Lee and Sakura blinked when he disappeared somewhere, obviously going somewhere else to kill forest life.

"Do you think he'll be all right, Lee-san? What if he does something stupid?" She asked dully, staring at the place where the furious Byakugan user had been.

"Of course, Sakura-san! Neji may be mad, but even in a state of uncontrollable anger my rival never does anything stupid." He said, almost proudly.

Naruto's voice came over the radio. "Guys, I believe the Akatsuki has been spotted. Lee and Sakura snapped back in attention.

"Where?" Sakura breathed, her heart pounding painfully loud in her chest. She couldn't forget those blood red eyes of the Sharingan.

"In one of the surrounding villages. We're not sure which one yet, but we're going to need a persuasive person to going in those villages and get some information. Sakura, are you up to it?"

For a slight moment, Sakura was about to ask why her, but she had to swallow her fear of that…that man. "Alright, what will I need to do?"

Naruto's breathing was the only thing heard for a moment. "We need simple peasant clothes and you need to pretend to be a part of the village. Try your best. You will go the first village which is slightly south of your current position and I will go to the second village which is east of us. In each of our packs, Shikamaru packed some high frequency radio earpieces. The ones you have on now won't work that far away. Just casually ask around; maybe do some ninja sneaking at night. You mission right now is quite simple. Don't reveal your real identity to anyone. It's too risky. You'll also have to leave your forehead protectors someplace else. You can't wear it for obvious reasons."

"Hai," Sakura said. "Can I take some weapons with me? Just in case?"

"Yea. If you are found out, head down to the river. From there, follow it to us. It will be the best way to throw off any pursuers." Naruto replied. "Make an effort to do this quickly. Tenten might be back in two days at the earliest. We need to hurry so we can lead Sasuke directly to Itachi."

After the given side mission, Sakura left Lee with a goodbye in search for plain clothes. She met a girl, only slightly younger than her, and she asked for clothes. The girl agreed very simply and brought back a simple white dress that fortunately fit her well. The hem of the dress reached past her knees and she felt comfortable in them. Secretly, she slipped on her shorts underneath with her weapon pouch tied around her thigh, taking an extra caution if she had to fight.

Soon after, she slipped inside the village, renting a room in an inn. Sakura stretched and started to prepare on how to approach the villagers. They were relatively friendly and they didn't seem to mind new comers. She was fortunate and she hoped that Naruto was having as much luck as she was.

The jounin pocketed her earpiece because it would look simply very suspicious if she went around with a transmitter in her ear. But since she needed to be in constant contact with her team, Sakura needed it with her. Heading out to the hot summer heat, Sakura looked about first, thinking that maybe she could find a few gossiping women somewhere.

But of course, being so concentrated on her mission, she did not feel a pair of eyes on her from a distance away. _Sakura-san, what are you doing here? _Itachi thought to himself, as his lips tugged in a very small smirk. It still looked misplaced on his face, as if a smile never belonged on the smooth contours of a handsome man, strangely unaffected by his years of battle experience. He got up from where he was sitting and stooped just a little so that he wouldn't look so out of place in the crowd. His straw hat protected his face from being seen and also from the glaring sun. The elder Uchiha quickly sidestepped into a small alley when he saw her about to turn around. Sakura's pretty head looked about her, and her face broke into a wide grin as she apparently found what she was looking for. He watched her weave her way though the mass of people towards a small group of women, their arms carrying laundry baskets. But Itachi was stunningly distracted from the pretty ninja to the young men staring at her as they walked by. Although his indifferent countenance remained on his face, Itachi felt his blood boil.

She was beautiful, yes, very beautiful and it bothered him that so many men stared at her. Oddly, even as he asked himself why, he took the extra strength to perform an advanced disguising jutsu, sealing away his chakra and his looks to change his entire form. Itachi's Sharingan receded into complete onyx black eyes. He stepped out from where he was hiding and he strode swiftly to a drunken man that was currently pestering her for a date in a room alone. Almost gliding, he firmly grasped the sides of the man's head and snapped it 180 degrees. He fell dead before Itachi's feet.

Sakura's eyes darkened and her smile was dropped from her face. "You killed him."

"You're welcome." He said shortly and left.

"Wait!" She called out, grabbing his muscular arm tightly. The stranger turned around and met her with his eyes, eyes that seemingly looked like they were chiseled from the blackest obsidian. Her soft emerald eyes grew wide and her hand flew from his arm, like she touched something hot. A millisecond later, they shot to the weapon pouch on her leg, grabbing a kunai, accomplishing it in under two seconds. But Itachi was faster, and he gripped her hand that contained the sharp object and he hurled both of them towards a wall, while the crowd scattered.

Sakura winced when her back hit the wall, but ignored the pain and raised her leg in defense to knee him in the stomach, but he didn't flinch. She angrily twisted a piece of her dress ripping in his hand and she forced him to lose his grip and she spin-kicked the side of his neck. The medic nin pulled out another kunai and dipped her hand into the pocket that contained the radio.

"Looking for this, Sakura-san?" He voiced, releasing his jutsu to reveal Uchiha Itachi. In his hand, he held her hope to reach her ANBU team. He fingered the torn piece of cloth in between his fingers and then dropped it, turning his attention back to the pretty jounin.

She slid in to an offensive position, holding the kunai in her right hand in a dangerous sideways grip. "If you would be so kind to return it to me…Uchiha-san." Her words were heavily coated with sarcasm that it made him smile. A noticeable one. However, he remembered something about her two years ago.

"Do you miss him, Sakura-san? My brother." He inquired quietly, his smile fading quickly. Itachi felt her tense considerably.

"No." She answered curtly.

"You're not a very good liar." He said, stepping forward. She stepped back.

Itachi could tell she was fighting to keep from turning back into the helpless, twelve year old girl that she desperately worked to change. But her eyes still displayed every emotion including the one that she showed now: fear. He enjoyed seeing that fear inside those emerald orbs; it sent a slight tingle of pleasure down his body. It just occurred to him that he was holding out his free hand to her, as if he was extending some sort of invitation.

"I will show you something. I will show Sasuke to you."

Even though every fiber of her being was screaming at her not to take his hand, Sakura grasped his hand with her trembling one and they disappeared from the street.

* * *

Sakura found herself in a dark hall, Itachi walking beside her, his figure hidden by his Akatsuki robe. "Where are we?" Her voice echoed loudly, the vibrations fright of her nervous tone painfully easy to hear.

"Inside my mind." He replied, tapping his temple with a long finger. The Uchiha wondered what had caused him to do so, but he wanted to show her the mind of a twenty-three-year old genius.

He reached a door, a door that was seldom visited because it always resulted in a nightmare. Mentally ordering his hand not to shake, he turned the knob and they both stepped through.

The pink-haired jounin saw images of a younger Itachi with a little boy with familiar dark hair that unruly stuck up at the back. One picture flashed by of a giggling Sasuke was on the swing with Itachi pushing him gently, and then another one in a bubbly bath, Itachi stripped to the waist, trying to hold down his mud-caked little brother. She blinked at third image of the two of them at the park, Sasuke piggy-backed on Itachi and holding two ice cream cones. She watched them at the beach, Sasuke playing in the water, calling for his solemn brother to come play with him. That depiction disappeared and another took its place with the Uchiha brothers training in the woods and Sasuke sprained his ankle after attempting what his brother had shown him. But when the happy memories faded and passed away, she only saw darkness so horrendous that she let out a choked scream.

Sakura stopped when a hand gripped hers. Her terrified eyes looked to where Itachi's hand made contact. She was breathing heavily and his body radiated heat, relieving her slightly of the panic that she felt.

A sudden beam of light flashed a few feet from where she was to reveal an older Sasuke, sitting on a chair with his posture loose and relaxed, his head bowed so that his ebony bangs created deep shadows over his eyes. The medical ninja felt her eyes sting with mixed feeling of hatred and longing for the young man. Mustering a little courage, Sakura stepped forward and laid a hand on his firm shoulder. He did not look up. "Sasuke," he still did not stir, but she thought she had heard a soft hissing sound. Sakura shook his shoulder little bit more.

Sasuke's head slowly raised up to meet her, his usual black eyes were yellow with bloody purple pupils in slits like a cat's. She saw his tongue was forked like a snake's when they flickered in and out, and they reminded her horribly about the one that she always had nightmares about: Orochimaru. His smooth skin was ruined and they seemed to be melting off of his face. His mouth was set in a crazed smile and they flapped strangely with every word. "What's wrong, Sakura? You don't love me anymore? Didn't you miss me, Sakura? I missed you. Why are you backing away from me? I thought you loved me."

Sakura thought she screamed, but it was all she saw. She woke up drenched in cold sweat on a soft futon. Wildly looking around her, her eyes first landed on the window. It was night. Then she noticed the man sitting against the wall in her room, opposite from where she was. Red eyes stared unblinkingly at her.

"You!"

Itachi looked at her. "You're awake."

Sakura forced herself not to cry. "Tell me Sasuke is not like that. Tell me."

Itachi tilted his head to the ceiling. "I don't care how Sasuke is, Sakura-san. I don't know what became of my brother. Like you, I haven't seen him in two years."

Fresh anger exploded inside her. "You've created a monster, you-you bastard! He's like this because you made him like this! He left because of you! He left all he had behind to go after a heartless, killer because he wanted to avenge his family! He left me! It's all your damn fault! He left me for you! I hate you! I hate you! I hope you go to hell!" She screamed hysterically with salty tears streaming down her face.

A dark chuckle made its way from Itachi's throat. "I already am in hell, Sakura-san. Sasuke created my hell for me."

Her weeping stopped. "What are you talking about?" She asked in a whisper of disbelief.

"When he was younger, he adored me. He wanted to become me. Sasuke…he was the light when my father was the darkness. My father pushed me to do everything perfect, to climb the shinobi social ladder, to be the bridge connect the Uchiha family to other important clans and he'd walk all over me when I became that. My capacity, Sakura-san, was to be more than a simple bridge for my father's feet. When Sasuke was born, life could not be any happier. His innocence was everything. But his love for me did not stop me from reaching beyond being that bridge. I slowly pushed him away so that my mission could be complete. To measure my fullest capacity, I knew that Sasuke and my clan would be a hindrance to my mission.

"You are not stupid, Sakura. You know about the Uchiha Massacre. How I killed my parents and left Sasuke to become the witness of my capacity. Hate is all I know, because this is all I let myself to know."

The young woman wondered why he was telling her this. "But what do you want from me?"

He hesitated but she didn't notice. "You have your team somewhere, Sakura-san. I have your earpiece and now I have you. You will remain here. It seems like Fate has something in store for the both of us. We will await what that is."

She scoffed softly, causing him to stare at her in slight surprise. "You don't look like the kind of man that believes in Fate."

"You're right, I don't."

He got up and strode to the only door. "I have guards outside those windows, and outside this door. If you try anything, I'll be the first to be notified." He disappeared with a swish of a breeze from the window.

Sakura buried her face in the pillow. "Naruto, please help me. I-I don't know what to do." She suddenly missed being with everyone back home. The isolation was almost suffocating her.

* * *

Tenten crept through the night, tired and exhausted in her hunt. A quiet rustle, almost inaudible, caught her eye and she immediately threw a shuriken where the sound came from. There was no sound of it hitting a target.

"Konoha ANBU? That's interesting. Are you looking for me?" The one who spoke stepped out of the dark shadows and into the faint moonlight. Uchiha Sasuke was twirling her shuriken around his index finger, with his tall, sinewy figure clad in black.

"I'm here to help you." She replied, just as calmly and coolly as he was being right now.

A humorless chuckle reached her ears, pricking a minor jolt of anger. "Help me? I doubt it." Tenten watched him carefully through her whtie mask, checking for hostilities. He was as tall as Neji now, yet leaner. His hair was exactly the way she remembered it, except just a little bit longer; it was obvious that he kept it trimmed. His face was still unmarked by scars therefore it was smooth. It was also easily seen that he kept himself well fed, because there was no gaunt or hollowness in his cheeks. And on his forehead was a Konoha forehead protector with a line drawn across the Leaf's symbol.

"Uchiha Sasuke…bastard, you really have no idea how much pain you've caused, do you?" She spat, her anger getting the best of her.

His eyes grew very cold. "You're here to lecture me, woman?" His voice was equally as biting.

"No, I'm here to lead you to your death. Follow me and you find Itachi." Tenten didn't feel like explaining anymore and so she turned around and leapt back into the trees.

After a few moments, when she began to lose hope that he was going to follow her, she heard him rapidly gain pace with her. When she knew that Sasuke was out of hearing range, Tenten muttered into her earpiece, "I got Uchiha Sasuke. I'm heading in your direction."

Her transmitter buzzed and Naruto's voice came on. "Sakura's in trouble. We suspect she's been taken captive by the Akatsuki. You've got to stall him."

Hearing Sakura's name, she muttered darkly. "Captain, don't you think it will be better to tell him that Sakura's in trouble?"

"No, keep Sakura out of your conversation. It's not going to make anything better." The ANBU captain snapped. "My orders are _not_ disobeyed, Tenten." He said sternly and forcefully after hearing her tensed silence.

"Yes, sir." She replied.

Neji's deep voice came over their radio. "Tenten, are you all right?"

"Hai, Neji. Don't worry, I'm coming."

The Hyuuga's short laugh echoed in her soul. "You'd better be."

"By the way, the Uchiha's an asshole."

Everyone laughed at her words.

They cut off communication for now. Tenten casually glanced over her shoulder at Sasuke, who looked like he was on a night stroll. He glared at her. "Why are you leading me to Itachi? Is this a trap?"

"No, I just thought I'd do everyone of Konoha a favor by getting rid of you." She snapped.

A smirk made its way to his face. "Hn, I'll play along for now. If I suspect a trap, I'm out."

"Do what you want. I don't really care. I just wish you'd die quicker."

"It's strange that we wish for the same thing." He retorted.

Tenten scoffed. "By dying you'll bring everyone more happiness in this miserable war…especially Haruno Sakura."

The weapon master detected a slight falter in his steps. He looked away.

"Does it hurt to think about her?" She sneered, her voice filled with contempt.

"No, I don't care about her. I forgot about her a long time ago."

The ANBU ninja grew furious. "Really? Then I guess you wouldn't care that she's just been taken by the Akatsuki. Who knows what your bastard of a brother is doing to her now."

Her steps were abruptly halted by a death grip on her shoulder. She turned around to meet strange Sharingan, one that she had never seen in her life before. The three blades swirled to meet with his black pupils that were surrounded by the blood red irises. They were frightening to look at.

"Where is she?" Sasuke snarled dangerously. "Tell me, or I'll drop you dead where you stand."

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**Author's notes: Chapter 4...did you like it? I'm having so much fun writing this. I don't think I've ever enjoyed writing a story before. I hope this chapter can be accepted as an apology for being so late. I really didn't mean to be so late. I'll try to update as quickly as I can, but I really can't gurantee anything. Please wait patiently for chapter 5! I'm working on it!**


	5. Mission: Part V

**Itonami: Chapter five is here! Thank you very much for your support! I love you all! I didn't think I'd get so many reviews. I love reading them! It feels like I'm opening a new present. That was so corny, but you know, I get all mushy when I'm happy! Enjoy!**

Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Naruto.

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Chapter 5

Uchiha Itachi stood in the forest early in the dewy morning, his eyes closed but his senses alert. He was very much aware of the other presence beside him, watching him intently. His eyes snapped open sharply and shot sideways to the man next to him.

"Well?" Itachi asked, his voice emotionless.

"The Konoha's ANBU hasn't been spotted, Itachi." Kisame snapped at him, his eyes narrowed in irritation. He was the only one that could use that tone with the Sharingan master. Anyone else would be dead in two seconds if Itachi felt merciful. "That girl you have up in your room, Itachi…she seems suspicious. Let's just kill her and get it over with."

Kisame let out a gasping noise when a mysterious hand shot out and squeezed his throat tightly. "We do not kill her, Kisame. Don't touch her. You'll regret it in your grave." The shark-like shinobi glared at the calmer man that was cutting off his oxygen supply. The pressure on his neck released as quickly as it had appeared.

Uchiha walked back to where the Akatsuki was currently stationed and he arrived at his room. There was no noise inside. Upon opening the door, his red eyes fell on his most recent captive, a certain petal-haired jounin by the name of Haruno Sakura. She sitting on the futon, her blankets shrouded around her with her naked back to him, and she was just slipping on a silky shirt provided for her to wear. For a brief second, Itachi witnessed what he thought was the most beautiful sight in the world. Never, not even once, had he ever seen such a…soft scene. It made the Akatsuki member momentarily ask himself what he had been doing all of these years.

He walked into the room purposefully, letting her know that he was in the room with her, which made her hurriedly button down the shirt. Sakura still faced away from him even still, childishly refusing to see him. She even had her arms crossed across her chest.

"Have you eaten yet, Sakura-san?" He asked quietly. She did not respond and rather, she busied herself by putting away her bedding that she had slept on. Sakura felt a firm, yet gentle hand her arm. She couldn't help but glare dangerously at it. She was never a morning person this morning was the worst she had ever experienced.

"Don't touch me." She whispered icily. He did not withdraw his hand. An Akatsuki was never ordered around, especially if it was a woman.

"You need to eat." He stated blankly.

"I'm not going to touch your food." The young kunoichi wrenched her arm out of his grasp and made a mad dash for the open door, her only source of escape. A big man that looked horribly like an ugly shark cut off her route. Not to be deprived of her one chance to get away, her fist angrily flew at Kisame's face. Time stopped when he easily caught her fist a mere inch from contact. His appalling lips curved into a smirk when his arm swung to slap her, but she also blocked it with a slender forearm. She was breathing heavily and her pretty face was twisted into a look of fury. The shark-man's grin grew even wider, now showing sharp, jagged teeth.

Without any hesitation Itachi acted. His unrivaled speed enabled him to appear right between the two locked in a strange physical way. A kunai loosely tickled Kisame's neck, and then the point pressed harder to draw blood. Kisame still wore his grin, though it wasn't out of amusement anymore.

"I told you this morning not to touch her, Kisame. I don't like my orders cast aside and forgotten." Itachi spoke in the same blank voice as before. Kisame slowly released her fist and took a step away from them.

"It seems like Itachi favors you, girl. Be thankful you're not dead for trying to escape." He disappeared in a swish of his robe.

Sakura glared at the elder Uchiha and she looked awfully angry. "What do you want, Uchiha-san?" She spat out, obviously disgusted by his presence. Her fist stung and itched strangely because the hostile man had oddly sandpaper textured palms. They scratched her skin and caused a rash. Shark…ah, so that was it. Sharks had skin that was abrasive and coarse.

"You need medication for that. I'll bring it up with a meal." He said and he walked away. Out of nowhere, two guards took their places beside the door. Sakura knew she couldn't take on two Akatsuki guards on her own.

Frustrated and hungry, she turned back into the room, hardly noticing the door close behind and the small click of a lock blocking her exit. The jounin scolded herself for the situation. It was all her fault anyway. If she had been in control of her emotions, she wouldn't be stuck in the damn room, locked like a dog in a cage. How ludicrous was a jounin medical ninja getting captured by an S-class group of criminals and missing-nins because she wanted to see a memory, a memory that urgently wanted to be erased from her mind. _You're so stupid, Sakura! For a girl that scored top in written tests and the apprentice of a hokage, you sure are really idiotic! _

Itachi walked in with a tray of food balanced on one hand while he carried a small pouch of medical supplies in the other. Silently, he set down the food beside her but she didn't even glance at it. He let out a sigh and his face softened for just a millisecond before returning back to his detached expression. "Eat," he commanded, gesturing to the tray. Sakura didn't budge. She still refused to face him.

"Why are you so stubborn?" He softly inquired in his monotone voice.

* * *

Tenten was still traveling with very little sleep. The night before was like a very unpleasant nightmare. _Those eyes…_The weapons expert suppressed a shudder. When he had demanded where she was, she could only give him the information that he was in a village not too far off from Hidden Mist.

As soon as Sasuke was gone, Tenten knew she had to report her disobedience. Naruto was angry, no, furious, but he snapped at her to hurry and join Lee and Neji. She was ashamed at disobeying order from her captain, but a gut feeling told her that it was going to lead Sasuke fast to Itachi. After all, that was the mission.

_'If Sakura is hurt in anyway, Tenten, I will get you court-martialed. Not following orders taints your ANBU record. Remember that. I won't risk her getting hurt. She's been down that road too many times.' _Naruto's voice replayed itself over and over in her mind, making her partially regret her outburst of anger. However, the thing that truly hurt was Neji's evident disappointment in her. He hadn't said anything to tell her so, but his silence was enough.

She was very exhausted and she couldn't wait to see Neji, and finally rest while he had his arms around her. Her nonstop travel caused her to be weary and she did not enjoy the feeling of complete exhaustion washing over her. Tenten glanced at the map she was holding. The camp should be some where around here.

"Tenten!" A voice called out and she felt like she had stepped into heaven.

"Neji!" She rasped out breathlessly. The Hyuuga ran up to meet her, or rather catch her.

"Neji, I'm back." She grinned at him while chuckling weakly.

The white eyes stared at her. "Sleep. I'm sure you're tired." The woman in his arms didn't need to be told twice. She curled up and closed her eyes and in a few seconds she was out like rock.

"Naruto, Tenten's back. She's resting." Lee said using their communicating piece, watching the pair of them not too far away.

Naruto was pacing nervously. "Lee, I'm back with Shikamaru and Hinata. I think it's best that we go in to rescue Sakura. Shikamaru is working something out. Be ready. Make sure Tenten gets enough rest. We'll need her." After Lee understood, Naruto pulled off his earpiece, throwing it harshly at the mossy ground. He sat heavily on a boulder protruding out of the earth, exhaling the air out of his lungs while rubbing a tired face with his hand.

"Naruto-kun?" A soft, melodic voice said cautiously. Hinata took a graceful seat beside him, her pale eyes pooling with concern and reassurance. Her soft hand grasped his and squeezed it gently, silently telling him what he wanted her to say.

He lifted his blue eyes to meet her face framed with dark blue bangs. "I'm scared, Hinata. I've never felt so scared before. The thought of meeting Sasuke again and now Sakura taken hostage by Itachi…it scares me more than you can imagine." He whispered so that only she could hear.

The Hyuuga heir closed her eyes. "Naruto-kun, I know. But use your fear." He looked at her in surprise. A smile appeared on the woman's face. "Use your fear so that it works in your benefit. You have every right to be afraid. We all are. This mission is a hard mission. Maybe not so much physically, but mentally. This mission will result in a noble clan completely extinct. Sasuke was our friend, but he betrayed us. This is why it's so hard for you and Sakura. Yet, just remember, this mission isn't the end of the world. You still have other friends and people that look up to you. Right?"

Naruto stared at her in new found surprise and respect. "You're so…beautiful." He said without thinking. An immediate reaction was a flaming blush on Hinata's ivory cheeks. He realized what he had said and broke out in perspiration. "What meant was—I meant—your speech—I mean—No—you see, I—" The blonde jounin stuttered. But he soon broke into an easy grin, as wide as it could ever go. "Hinata, what I really meant was that you are my light. A beautiful light," she went even redder, "that brings relief to me like no other person." He broke out into a fit of laughter. He looked at her suddenly very serious, and the blonde ninja took her hand in both of his.

"Hinata, when this is all over, will you marry me? Will you become my wife? I'll try to make you happy every day, I promise. I'll make sure you'll never be sad." He gazed at her with eyes that Hinata first fell in love with.

With trembling lips, she opened it and whispered painfully, "I can't."

It was then that Naruto thought his world collapsed. This pain of rejection did not even come close to the rejection that Sakura gave him. No, this was a million times worse, and it felt like those simple two words stabbed him through the heart ten thousand times. His eyes looked dull and he gazed down at the ground. "Oh, I see. I understand." He forced a bright fake smile on his face. "Well, I'll go see how Shikamaru is coming with the plans. I think he should be done by now, right, Hinata-chan?" He stood up abruptly.

Small hands gripped his surprisingly hard. "I can't plan the wedding by myself."

Naruto froze like a deer caught in headlights. He slowly, very slowly, looked at her. His eyes grew wide and he swooped down and picked her up, swinging her around like a doll. "You mean it? Do you? Do you really?"

She nodded while beaming, a wonderful smile on her face. "I mean it."

There was no ring, no romantic dinner, nor a bouquet of roses, but Hinata couldn't have been happier. While still keeping his new finance in a bear hug, he turned his head and shouted, "Hey, Shikamaru! Did you hear that? Hinata agreed to be my wife!"

Shikamaru tiredly gazed at them. "Congratulations to both of you. My brain actually feels like it's about to explode. I would be happier and jump up and down with glee to celebrate, but we're in a crappy situation." He sighed greatly. "How troublesome."

The two others laughed. Naruto looked at Hinata. "How do you think we should break the news to Neji-_niisan_?" He added sarcastically.

Hinata looked stricken and went paler than usual. "H-How about n-now?" Her fingers began to take up their nervous habit now.

The ANBU captain examined her face carefully. "Are you sure?"

She nodded hesitantly. "It's better when he's not near us."

He laughed and picked up his fallen radio. "Hey, Neji, I've got something to tell you."

The male Hyuuga's deep voice could be heard. "What is it?"

"How do you feel about being my best man for my wedding? Once you agree, you can't go back on your word." He said.

Neji's silence indicated that he was thinking very hard. "Your wedding? Why so sudden?"

"Just answer."

"Fine, I'll be your best man. Why me, Uzumaki?"

Naruto chuckled. "Well, since you are my future bride's cousin, and—" He stopped due to a very loud hissing noise on the other side of the line.

"What did you say?" His voice dropped deadly low, venom seeping into it in fatal amounts. "Did you just say what I think you just said?"

Naruto feigned a look of hurt, even though Neji couldn't see it. "Why, Neji-niisan, are you telling me that you don't approve of me marrying Hinata-chan?"

"Damn right I don't." He growled, causing Hinata to stifle a giggle. "Hisashi-sama will never allow this. Hinata-sama, I advise you to change your mind."

Hinata's eyes narrowed very slightly in anger that was usually never displayed. "Do you believe that Oba-san will allow you to marry Tenten-san?" She questioned very quietly.

Neji was silent. He was fuming but he saw some logic in his cousin's words. His eyes traveled to the woman that was sleeping while using his leg as a pillow. He heard Hinata speak again, still in that angry, quiet tone. "I think I will have to fight my family to allow him to let me marry Naruto-kun. Please, Neji-niisan, I would truly wish that you weren't one of those people that I have to fight."

After a while, Naruto and Hinata smiled when Neji grunted a reply. "Fine, Hinata-sama."

* * *

Sasuke was literally flying towards the Hidden Mist region. He was not too far away. His legs were almost screaming at him to stop and give it a rest, but the rage of jealousy and anger were swelling inside him. Wait. Jealousy? Whoa, let's not go that far. The only jealousy that Sasuke ever felt was when he found out that Naruto was stronger than he was. Jealousy for what? For Sakura? He scoffed at his thoughts. An Uchiha never felt jealousy towards a girl. It was just the rage talking to him.

"Itachi, you will die. I swear it. By honor of my clan, and by the honor of my blood, you will die by my hand." He muttered under his breath, repeating the same promise that he made to himself how many years ago that was. He never counted the years. It merely seemed to him like eternity.

The younger Uchiha panted while he rested on a high branch. He could see the carpet of grass below him and there was a heavy air of humidity about him. The Mist Village was close. Itachi was close. His revenge was close. Just barely out of his grasp. He felt his heart pound faster. Excitement rushed through his veins. It only made him go faster.

But as he got deeper through the forest, different chakra could be sensed. With his Sharingan activated, Sasuke made his way, avoiding patches where they reeked of other chakra. He felt eyes watching him as he tried to make his way through. Heading towards a clearing, he stood in the middle of it, waiting for his stalkers to come. One by one, totaling in ten in all, they landed in a neat circle around him. Their black robes were decorated with red lined clouds and it triggered a familiar rage inside the missing-nin of Konoha.

"What do you want?" He asked coolly, his hands in his pockets casually.

"Just intercepting you." One to his right spoke up.

"I'm not in the mood." Sasuke sneered.

"We are not either."

A leaf blew past Sasuke's face. The battle commenced.

Three enemy shinobis launched themselves first and the Sharingan user mentally cursed himself for not resting. He was starting get worn out already. He blocked the first kick and delivered his own hard, direct kick that sent one flying. Speed was no problem. Sasuke mastered speed easily. Grabbing one arm of each of the two left, he threw them in opposite directions. Sasuke's Sharingan saw two more Akatsuki members disappear and then reappear very close to him, but he already saw the punch from above, and the poison senbon from below. Knocking away the punch first, he punted away the senbon and slammed his feet on the wrist of the senbon owner. A delicious scream of pain reached Sasuke's ears.

"Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu!" His hand flew into the appropriate seals. An enormous, searing ball of fire protruded from Sasuke's mouth, engulfing one completely while two were mildly injured.

Taking out two kunais with explosive seals attached to each of them, he threw them hard in separate directions, catching two unfortunate ninjas by surprise in the chest. The momentum of the kunais pushed them back into two more of their comrades and they exploded together.

Three suffering from minor injuries stood to engage again. Sasuke smirked haughtily. He vanished then reappeared right behind one of the remaining ones standing, and while he held a kunai to one, he quickly hurled shuriken that embedded themselves quickly in the heads and the necks of the Akatsuki.

"You will tell me where you are stationed. I have some business to attend to."

"I'd rather die." His captive spat.

Sasuke's hand shot into the hostage's mouth to prevent him from biting his tongue. He didn't even flinch at the pain. "Tell me quickly because I don't want to play games."

"Never." The other shinobi breathed.

"Do you know of a ninja named Haruno Sakura?" He snarled.

A raspy laugh escaped the captive's throat. "Uchiha-sama has her in his own room. I heard that he's having fun times with her. The guards outside say that they can hear her screams at night when he—"

The avenger thrust a kunai automatically straight into the Akatsuki shinobi's voice box to silence him. Pushing away the body from him, Sasuke felt disgusted and revolted.

But in Itachi's room, only silence was heard.

It was empty.

* * *

**Author's notes: This one's finished! I hope you liked it. Thank you once again for your constant support. Believe it or not, it serves as a major inspiration for me to continue. Wow, Thank you guys. Chapter 6 is coming up soon! …I hope… **


	6. Mission: Part VI

Thank you lots for your reviews! Love them! Love you! Chapter 6 has been updated. I think there is aLOT of hints of Sasuke x Sakura. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Naruto.

* * *

Chapter 6 

Sakura ran blindly in the dimness of the forest, her heart pounding so hard that she thought it would burst. It was getting dark already, making it harder to see. She pushed away the scratchy branches as she made her way quickly as she could. Her senses were on high alert and every single sound whether it be an animal or just the wind, it triggered a blaring mental alarm in the jounin's mind.

Temperature dropped ten more degrees, chilling Sakura's skin beneath the thin silk shirt and pants. Her only weapon of defense was the kunai that she stole from one of the guards she knocked out. Her breath was vaporized in white clouds with each exhale and her fingers were numb.

She felt a compressed chakra behind her, a definite first sign that the person was not a friend. The medic nin was partially shaking from the cold and the fear. Her hands gripped the metal weapon desperately as she tried to get past a stubborn pair of bushes. The other ninja behind her felt closer.

"Arg!" She screamed as she whirled around, using her momentum to stab the kunai into a body part. It was knocked away and she followed with punch to the face. It made a direct contact. Sakura didn't hesitate. She didn't want to stay and fight too long. The noise would attract attention. Dashing to the opposite of her still unseen enemy, her hands flowed easily into hand seals of ram, horse, tiger, horse, tiger, and bird to summon a technique that Tsunade had taught her a year ago: Satsugaite no Jutsu, the Killing Hands technique (1). _Perfect chakra control_, she repeated in her mind. Pale pink chakra swirled at her palms. She launched off a tree straight at the enemy who faced her head on.

Sakura's deadly hands grazed an arm and chest. It was dark and she could hardly see, but the kunoichi knew that her last attack hurt. She was about to strike again, this time to finish it off, but her adversary struck first. By the shadowy outline of the figure it was a man and he kicked her armed hands, breaking her constant flow of chakra to them. Distracted for a split second, Sakura now found herself pinned to the ground, with her attacker holding both of her wrists down with his shins trapping her legs down so that she couldn't hit him below the belt.

Even in the darkness she saw the same Sharingan eyes, and her thoughts swam dizzily from the fear she felt now. _Itachi…_Without realizing it, she snapped her head up and bashed her head with the nose of the man that currently held her down, causing him to stumble back in surprise. Sakura was trying to get oxygen to her lungs as she felt terror conquer her body. She weakly crawled to where she saw a glint of metallic on the ground and picked up the kunai again.

Holding it to his face, Sakura shakily stood on her feet, her breathing labored and her hands tired. "I'll kill you now." But her words were not even considered by the other ninja when he whipped out another kunai from his pouch and equally stood with her, while criminal and ANBU debated what to do in their heads.

Clouds swept past and the moon shone brightly on their clearing. The soft white light illuminated her pink hair and pale skin, as her green eyes stared lifelessly at her captor once more.

"Sakura?" The voice whispered, almost fearfully.

The Konoha ANBU member's mind somehow registered that it was not Itachi. Her eyes became focused again from their blind rage mixed with fear and they stared into the face of Uchiha Sasuke.

The first emotion that the Uchiha saw flash in her eyes was longing but that disappeared and one of anger replaced it. Sakura was determined not to cry. In fact, she was so determined that she couldn't speak.

"I heard you were with Itachi." He said being careful that his voice was void of any emotions.

"I was." She replied calmly as she could and without stuttering. Sakura tried to steady her heart.

"You're ANBU now?" He didn't mean it as a question. Those Sharingan eyes noticed the Konoha ANBU tattoo on her right upper arm.

"I've earned my place." She said with her eyes narrowing, quickly angered by his statement that questioned her place in the ANBU squad.

Sasuke was still holding the kunai at her and she at him, but he still had no intention of dropping it. She was strong, stronger than he'd ever thought she could be, and that jutsu she had performed had almost been fatal. He was angry at himself that he didn't even recognize her or that she had not recognized him. It annoyed him.

The reunion with him and Sakura…it was different than what he imagined. He had always pictured himself standing and she was at his feet, kneeling and begging. But this was not so. Now she was standing on the cold ground in nothing but a silk shirt and pants, her face now smeared with dirt and fresh scratches from branches. And this Sakura was not begging, but angry and ready to fight him if necessary.

"What are you doing here, Sakura?" He asked coldly.

"Taking a stroll." She said softly, her eyes traveling to the weapon in his hand.

"You look tired." He stated.

"As do you."

"Where is Itachi?"

"I don't know."

Sasuke's eyes flashed. He stooped quickly and grabbed her wrist painfully. "Tell me, Sakura."

Her eyes met him squarely and they hardened. "I can't tell you information I don't know."

"You know, Sakura. I know you know."

His dark bangs brushed against her face and he straightened up to his full height. Sakura couldn't help but watch his face.

They still held the boyish look from long ago but it became more angular than she last remembered it being. His eyes were spinning red and his fine eyebrows arched gracefully above them. Sasuke was officially a good head taller than her, and his build filled out to his stature very nicely. His attire consisted of a simple black mesh shirt under a light, black sweater of sorts with sleeves cropped off to have them reach the middle of his upper arms. On back of the sweater bore the Uchiha symbol, a red and white fan right side up. He wore steel forearm protectors and a gray weapon pouch on his right thigh strapped over his dark pants. By the look of his face that was marred by light cuts, she could tell he had gotten in a fight before hers. Even his breathing was abnormally heavy.

But Sakura couldn't bring herself to ask nor care because she was just simple too tired.

"Go to sleep, Sakura." He said, making it sound more like a command. But she took it as the best piece of advice she had ever heard. Grasping her sole weapon in her hand, she laid down to sleep.

Sasuke couldn't believe that this was the Sakura that he saw two years ago. But she mostly looked the same with her unforgettable pink hair, her face soft and perfectly oval. Her lips were a shade darker than her hair with a redder hue and she possessed a small, lithe figure that was excellent for fast travel and agility. Her hands weren't those soft ones he recalled five years ago, but rather calloused and rough, though they weren't disfigured by the hard calluses. Sakura was dozing off, not trusting herself to fall asleep completely. It was strangely…admirable to see her as a true ninja.

He massaged his aching arm and chest that were slowly bleeding from her Killing Hands jutsu. _Damn_, he thought, _where did she learn that jutsu?_ Even a graze like that hurt madly. It felt like his skin was painfully being eaten away slowly. Sasuke remained calm as he pulled up his arm sleeve to examine the wound. His seemed as if an acid was burning away his skin layers. It hurt like hell. Sitting down on a stump of a tree, on the far side of where Sakura was sleeping, he searched his weapon pouch for a knife. Finding it, he eyed the lesion before probing it with the sharp point of his knife. He let out a sudden hiss at the furious pain it ignited and it felt like it had been set on fire by his strongest Katon.

"Here," a quiet voice said beside him. His head snapped up to meet Sakura's tired face. His eyes followed her movements as she knelt down beside him. Placing her hands on his chest and his arm, she hesitated when he flinched and glared at her hands suspiciously. Sasuke relaxed when he felt there was no hostility in her chakra and calmly sat, his body language giving her permission to continue.

The pink-haired jounin quickly and flawlessly formed the seals of bird, tiger, horse, tiger, horse, and ram and formed a small ball of healing chakra in her hands of the Chiyute no jutsu (2). It was quite hard to reverse the Satsugaite but with enough concentration and focusing on mending it, it could be done. After ten minutes of working to heal his damaged chest and arm, she could feel sweat trickle down her forehead. She wiped it away by shrugging her shoulder and rubbing the perspiration off. Taking a deep breath, Sakura steadied herself and reengaged her work.

Sasuke saw that she was really intent on fixing him back up. He could almost smirk at the irony. She was the one that gave him the wounds and now she was healing them. But he couldn't deny that she was efficient. He had watched other medical shinobi before, but Sakura was truly remarkable.

"Who trained you, Sakura?" He inquired carefully.

She did not answer, but instead concentrated harder on what she was doing. In another minute, the cell destruction stopped along with his pain. There was a silence when the pair did not speak. Suddenly she said, "Tsunade-sama." Her tone was in the same cautious manner as before.

The Uchiha was caught off guard. He had never known that she had been trained by the Hokage herself. But it would explain her increased chakra reserves and her skills. He nodded in understanding and grasped the formerly injured arm gently, but the arm felt as good as new.

"Let the arm rest for twenty four hours before you train it again. Your muscle tissue is still trying to heal." Sakura got up from her knees but Sasuke caught her wrist before she could turn around without receiving his gratitude. She let her gaze fall at his feet.

"Thank you." It was said so softly, his voice deep, rich velvet, but the ANBU jounin found herself smiling tearfully at those words.

"I remember," she started slowly, still not meeting his eyes but looking at the ground, "when you said that before you left." Sakura threw her head up at the starry sky, and chuckled without any humor. "It all seems like an eternity ago. It was all you could say before you left Konoha."

The missing-nin merely remained silent. "I don't remember that." He drawled thoughtfully. Sakura felt a slight sting of pain inside. "I remember you standing there in the moonlight. I remember you telling me that you'd rather go with me than stay at the village alone. I remember when you said you…loved me." He said the last part almost inaudibly. He looked up to meet her eyes.

"I…" She trailed off. There were no words to be said.

"I know you don't have a place inside there for me anymore, Sakura. I already know." He said, a smirk escaping as he closed his eyes and turned his face away.

_Do you, Sasuke? No, you know nothing because I still have a place for you…forever._ She thought as she stared at his handsome face. When Sasuke opened his eyes again, they were not red anymore; however, they were black as night and they gazed at a tree behind her. The hand that was holding her wrist loosened and slid down to grasp her hand gently. All movement stopped there. A breeze swept past, caressing their cold bodies.

Sakura was looking at him, but he did not look at her. Sasuke's smirk lightened up a bit into a smile that barely existed. But it was there. She could tell. His body was slouched resignedly while sitting on his stump and his free arm was resting on his knee.

"Do you have any other injuries…Sasuke?" The medic nin asked.

"No," he replied easily, "just get some rest. I'll keep watch."

Sakura's leaf green eyes flashed challengingly. "I can keep watch, too. Wake me up in thirty minutes. You need to catch up on your sleep."

An eyebrow was raised questioningly. "Oh? And how would you know?"

Her eyes now glinted like she knew something that he didn't. "First, your body says it all. Second, your chakra is traveling slower than usual, signaling that you're exhausted. Third, your wound didn't heal as fast as I expected it to. This means that your immune system isn't as active due to sever sleep deprivation. Lastly, you just…seem tired." She gave him a small, genuine smile.

Sakura shivered slightly as her body came in contact with the hard, cold ground. It was highly uncomfortable, but she was in no position to complain. She still kept her kunai with her and she supported her head by her arm. As exhaustion swept over her, her heavy eyelids closed and she drifted off to sleep.

Uchiha Sasuke noticed very quickly how much she was quivering from the cold. He figured that the wind brought in more cold. In fact, he was freezing himself. Survival technique one: stay warm. Rubbing his arms to keep his circulation going, he exhaled, watching his breath escape in white clouds. He glanced down at the sleeping woman near him and sleep seemed like such a brilliant idea just about then. Sighing and giving up a part of his dignity, Sasuke went over to Sakura and placed himself back to back with her. Perhaps this way, he could keep warmer.

In two seconds, he was out like a light.

* * *

Neji had his Byakugan activated and surveyed the area around them. Tenten was still sleeping off her exhaustion from the day before wrapped in a blanket. Lee was doing several taijutsu drills, keeping his body warm. The Hyuuga itched to train, but Tenten seemed like she wasn't going to move for awhile. Not that he minded… 

Suddenly, the weapon expert stirred, her chocolate eyes fluttering open. "Neji?"

He smirked. "You're awake?"

Tenten's face creased into a frown. "What does it look like, genius?"

"How are you feeling?" He asked.

She rubbed her eyes. "Like I got run over by a stamped of bison."

Lee saw them talking and he went to join them. "Tenten, you're finally awake. I can almost see you burning back alive with the flames of youth!" He stopped and gazed at her and then looked away.

The kunoichi sat up quickly. "Sakura? What has happened to Sakura?"

"No word yet." Lee whispered painfully. Tenten had never seen him so helpless in her life. Her stomach felt like it dropped into an abyss.

"What have we decided to do?"

"Shikamaru is working out a plan." Neji replied.

"Sasuke was really angry. He's out there looking for Sakura too." She said, her eyes cast to the ground. Neji took her hand reassuringly.

"Haruno will be fine."

"I hope so, Neji."

The three of them grew silent and Neji watched the woman in front of him carefully. Her face was drawn in distraught, obviously bothered.

"Tenten, she'll be alright." He whispered kindly into her ear. The woman wrapped the blanket around her tighter even though she was warm enough with Neji embracing her. His arms were firmly set about her, making her feel secure and comforted.

* * *

Itachi sat in his empty room, gazing at the folded futon in the corner of the room. His eyes were hard and angry. But his cool exterior gave away nothing. His robe gently swished as he got up to his feet and evenly threw two shuriken to his right and embedding them a painful centimeter from Kisame's head.

"I told you that girl couldn't be trusted. She knows where we are quartered. She's going to bring her entire ANBU team here." The shark man hissed.

Itachi looked at him from the corner of his eyes. "No," he responded softly, "it's not what she's here for. Rather, Sakura-san and her friends appear to be planning something other than that. Truly, Konoha ANBU aren't _that _stupid."

The Uchiha's companion smirked idly and patted the large sword strapped on his back. "We can hope, Itachi."

"Perhaps, Kisame, but for now, I would like to find Sakura-san again." He swept out of the room gracefully with Kisame trailing behind. Itachi nodded at the guards outside a steel door. It was opened for him to enter.

"Itachi-sama…please, spare us…we won't fail you next time." A raspy voice belonging to a hanging body begged.

The two guards that were knocked unconscious by Sakura were hanging by their hands tied with fraying ropes. They were both stripped to the waist, bloody gashes decorating them sickeningly, and they were groaning softly. Their eyes rolled to the back of their heads, showing the bloodshot white area.

Itachi indifferently gazed at them. "Of course…because there won't be a next time, I'm afraid." He turned around, their pleas falling on deaf ears. The Sharingan eyes briefly met the narrow ones of Kisame.

The doors closed while two tortured screams floated through it and Kisame's laughter echoed down the hallway, but it was all the same to Itachi: unimportant.

Stepping out in the night, he disappeared in search of the cherry blossom that was scattered by the wind.

* * *

**Author's Notes: **

**(1)- **Satsugaite no Jutsu, the Killing Hands technique is basically what it is. A small ball of killer chakra is summoned and it deteriorates cells of the enemy that is touched by it. My reference is I made up the hand seals for it, but if you want to see more, just go there.

**(2)- **Chiyute no Jutsu, the Healing Hands technique is also self explanatory. It is the exact opposite of the above technique thus the opposite order of the hand seals that I made up.

Well, chapter 6 at your service! I hope you liked it! Lots of Sasuke x Sakura at the request of many reviewers. Speaking of reviews, thank you so much for them! You all bring joy to my life! --;; That's so…cheesy, but as you all know, I get emotional when I'm happy. Thank you all!


	7. Mission: Part VII

Itonami: Whoa, do my eyes deceive me or does that number beside the word 'reviews' go over 100! Gosh, I never thought I would get over a hundred reviews for this. THANK YOU ALL, SO SO SO **VERY **MUCH! I love you all!

Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Naruto.

* * *

Chapter 7

A sole leaf was whisked past two sleeping forms by the wind.

Sasuke and Sakura eyes snapped open and they sprang apart from each other, one with a kunai and the other with a shuriken. The pair was breathing heavily in panic and defensively, each holding their weapons tightly. It was two seconds before they realized that it was not a complete stranger.

"You scared me." Lowing the kunai as he lowered his, she looked up at the sky, and judged the sun's position above them. It was early afternoon. "I overslept." She muttered under her breath.

Sasuke gazed around his surroundings and he did not feel any foreign chakra. He pocketed the weapon in his hand and looked at the young kunoichi before him. Her hair was messy and her clothes didn't look any better. He let out a heavy sigh and shoved his hands in his pockets.

"Follow me." He said bluntly.

Sakura's instincts made her suspicious. Her usually wide apple green eyes narrowed at his retreating figure. He threw her a casual, bored glance over his shoulder. "Don't worry, I don't bite."

The jounin hesitated and followed him, keeping her senses alert and awake as her sleep instantly disappeared. As they walked, there were no words exchanged between them. Soon, she could hear the sound of gently running water. Her heart jumped in excitement. Following the noise of the gurgling water, she quickly rushed in front of him and spotted a river.

Although she wanted to just jump in without worrying about her clothes, but she still gracefully took her time getting there. Sakura knowingly turned around and Sasuke was sitting behind a boulder checking his equipment. She quickly dispensed her clothes and stepped in the cool rush of water, letting her body get used to its temperature before excitedly submerging underneath the river's surface. Under water, she combed her fingers through her hair and let flow around her.

Splashing her face with water, she relaxed quietly and allowing her mind to drift away for a moment. A soft spoken voice interrupted her. "If you don't come out of there soon, you'll become a raisin. I'd be careful." Her eyes traveled to the person who spoke and he was still lazily sitting against the rock, facing away from the river.

"But…" Sakura didn't have any clothes besides the ones that she escaped in, and there was no way in heaven or hell that she was going to wear it again. Again, the Uchiha interrupted with a languid gesture. She followed it to see a neat pile of clothes on the river bank. Slowly going towards them, she picked them up and saw that they were his. A loose white shirt that could easily reach her thighs was folded on top of black shorts that could fall to her shins. But that was better than the ones that floated down the river by the current a long time ago. "Thank you."

She dressed swiftly in her new clothes, rather wet from the water. Not satisfied with the sagging sleeves and hem, she tightly tied the shirt's bottom around the curve of her waist, half way showing her flat stomach. Squeezing excess water from her hair, the freshly cleaned jounin joined the brooding Sasuke behind the boulder.

"You have been searching for him, haven't you?" She whispered.

_The shades of the trees feel nice. Yes, they feel very nice. _

"Yes." He answered, slowly packing up his weapons again.

"I really don't know where he is, Sasuke. I just ran out of there as fast as I could. I didn't really bother with directions." Her voice trailed off, leaving a comfortable silence between them.

_The birds are singing, Sasuke. Do you hear them?_

"Did he…hurt you?" He asked hesitantly.

Sakura looked at him and shook her head. "No, he just kept me in his room. I don't know what he wanted with me. Sasuke, I—"

_The wind likes to tease, doesn't it? _

Sasuke rewrapped the weapon holster around his leg and stood up. His obsidian eyes gazed at her, making something stir inside the ANBU medic nin. Slipping one hand inside his pocket, he thrust out his hand awkwardly. She grinned and took it. He pulled her up gently, his gaze brushing along her exposed abdomen.

"When was the last time you ate?" He asked, turning around to lead her somewhere. Sakura matched his pace.

"I don't know. I lost track." She said, remembering how hungry she was now. She rubbed a hand on her stomach. Sakura couldn't help but think of food.

Sasuke was debating in his mind of what to do. His right hand fidgeted slightly as he was constantly aware of her quiet presence beside him. He was quite used to perfection; he strived for it everyday. But this kind of perfection was unexpected. It felt like the world was right side up and the small, nimble body seemed to have been made for him to walk beside.

"Sakura, where is your team? Do you know?" He inquired carefully without injecting any concern in them. He remained his stoic self. Damn, he hated contradicting himself.

Sakura racked her brain quickly. How did he know that she was with a team? She hurriedly thought of something else to challenge him. "I'm by myself, Sasuke. I didn't come with a team." _What a wonderful time to not have the transmitter_, she thought bitterly.

The Sharingan user blatantly looked at her, one of his dark brows cocked up questioningly. "I think you underestimate me, Sakura. You are with a team. You must be with that ANBU that told me you were taken by Itachi."

She mentally kicked herself. Of course! How could she have forgotten about Tenten? The jounin shot the man a look. "Your brother took my radio contactor. I don't have a way to reach my team."

"Aa, then we'll just have to find them."

Another silence dominated them.

Sasuke looked at her. He thought about the things that the last Akatsuki had told him. Did his brother really do something of the sort? His brows furrowed deeply. The answer to that question was undoubtedly yes. If he didn't hesitate to annihilate his clan, he wouldn't even flinch at raping a girl. His fists tightened compulsively from anger.

"Sakura," he said, his voice curt, "did Itachi rape you?"

Sakura gasped and stopped dead in her tracks. "No, no, no, Sasuke. I would never let him. I escaped without ever giving him such a chance. Sasuke, please don't think like that. Please…" It was a possibility that it could have happened. It was suddenly frightening to think about. She couldn't believe that it could have happened. Never did she think such a thing, and there he was, the great Uchiha Sasuke asking if she had been forced to lose her virginity.

Sasuke turned to face her. He could see the tear collecting in her eyes, the same eyes that never failed to display at least one kind of emotion. He wanted to take back what he said, but he wanted to know. It would have mounted to his anger. But the anger had now subsided when he looked at her face, weary and tired, with her eyes begging him to understand. He turned away quickly, so that she couldn't see the confused way his eyebrows creased. "There's a village nearby here. We can get some food there."

The pair of them walked, making fast progress to the village that Sasuke mentioned. It was bustling with noise and people, and the air was perfumed with delicious aromas that made both of their mouths water.

"An apple for such a beautiful lady!" A gruff voice cried from a fruit stand. He fought his way through the horde of people to where the two ninjas were as he handed Sakura a shiny green apple.

She blushed prettily and smiled apologetically. "Oh, sir, I'm afraid I don't have any money."

The man insisted and pressed the fruit into her palms "No, no, please take it. It's not often that an old man like me gets to see someone so pretty. Go ahead, and I'll be out of your way since your man looks like he can crush my head using a finger."

He quickly dodged out from her sight as she protested. "But, but, he's…not my man…" she muttered hastily to no one in particular. Sakura looked up to see Sasuke eyeing the apple rather distrustfully.

"I don't think you should eat that apple." He stated quietly, as he started to walk again.

She understood and nodded. "But, I think I'll keep it. It's a pretty apple, don't you think?"

The color of the fruit matched her eyes, but he thought that she was prettier than the stupid apple. A little, mischievous pang of jealousy made its way up and down his body. His eyes gleamed curiously in the sunlight.

"Sasuke, can we go there?" She gently tugged on his shirt and pointed. It was a ramen stand. A feeling of uncertainty overcame him as his eyes narrowed considerably before returning to their normal sizes.

"No."

The young kunoichi looked bewildered. "Ne? Why not?"

"I said no. You don't need a further reason." Sasuke turned and grasped her by the wrist to go to the tempura shop right next to it. He motioned to a seat and sat her down first before sitting next to her. He ordered for the both of them, something light and non greasy. She seemed satisfied with his orders.

Sakura looked around her as they waited for the food, at the villagers happy and untouched by the Akatsuki. She remembered when Konoha used to be such a village. It made her feel more welcome. Shifting her attention to the slight stirring beside her, she watched Sasuke closely. He seemed quite unnerved.

"Sasuke, what's wrong?" She rested her hand on his. He flinched in surprise at the touch.

"Nothing." He lied, taking away his hand. Sasuke looked very uncertain and his eyes kept traveling to the ramen stand.

"Naruto still loves ramen, you know. But instead of going to the Ichiraku place, he goes over to the Hyuugas'. He told me once, when I asked him why he went to Hinata's if he wanted ramen, and he said, 'That way, I get to see both of the things I love. Ramen and Hinata.'" Sakura smiled fondly at the memory, "I never knew he could be so sweet until then. I've tasted Hinata's ramen, and it's wonderful."

The Uchiha did not speak, only listened to her words, taking in what she said and her voice. Her tone was happy but he got the feeling that something was missing and she was longing for it. Her eyes sparkled as she looked at him, and then her gaze fell to his hands.

"Sakura, our food is here." He said, handing her a plate full of their orders.

She ate heartily, filling her stomach carefully and patiently so that her stomach could get used to the sudden access to food. Sasuke ate slowly also.

Sasuke was done first and he waited for his companion to finish. He accompanied her to the market as she window-shopped, the next best thing to actually buying something. He was surprised to find himself not agitated nor bored or irritated to follow her around. In fact, he was glad for it. He finally wasn't thinking about his revenge for once, just watching her smile and talk to the vendors was enough for him to feel like he was someone else than an avenger.

"Sasuke, what do you think of that?" She pointed to a dagger with a handsomely carved handle. He could only nod in approval.

Soon, Uchiha Sasuke found himself glaring dangerously at other men that ventured just a little too close for his comfort or eyed her body appreciatively, and thus, trailed the pretty pink haired woman closer than he was before. She would look at him inquisitively from time to time when his arm accidentally brushed against hers or when his eyes would flash crimson at a man walking by. She would show him the little things that she liked or thought that he would like, and secretly, thought he never said so, he liked them too.

All of the walking around had to stop due to the sky darkening with clouds, threatening with a storm. Sasuke quickly led Sakura to an inn and he rented two rooms. He gave one key to her and he led her upstairs to the location of their rooms.

The missing nin unlocked his door and went inside, without bothering to say good night to Sakura. He shut the door behind him and rested against it, letting out a breath. He heard a pause then a shuffle of feet as he heard her knob turn and the door quietly close. He threw off his shirt, as if it was the source of his frustration, and seated himself on the ledge of his windowsill, looking out at the stormy sky.

Sakura was still standing with her back to the door, wondering what had happened. She hadn't said anything, nor acted in any strange way. Maybe it was because she hadn't said anything or acted strangely. She shook her head to clear her thoughts. That didn't make sense. The jounin played with the metallic key with her fingers, pondering what she had done wrong.

Sighing with confusion, she made up her mind. And before her mind could argue, she opened her door again and walked a short distance, stopping at Sasuke's door. Hesitating for only a slight second, she twisted the knob and entered.

What her eyes beheld was striking.

A half-naked Sasuke was sitting on the windowsill lazily, his arm resting on his knee and he was looking out of his window. Lightning that flashed stunningly outside illuminated his sleek form, light dancing on his firm skin. But what drew her eyes were the numerous scars that marred the skin. Without thinking she stepped closer and reached out, her gentle fingers landing on a particularly jagged one.

His voice was soft, scarcely a notch above a whisper, and he was still facing the window. "A group of Mist jounins ambushed me few months later I joined Orochimaru."

Sakura's fingers traveled to a lower one that was in a peculiar circular shape. "Orochimaru stabbed a kunai there when I rebelled."

In awe, the medic-nin traced a long one that started from his shoulder to the middle of his back. "An unknown assassin from the Sand grazed me with a katana."

There were more than she could count, but they continued steadily until the last one remained. She barely even touched it. Sakura's fingertips grazed over two small, smooth ones at the base of his neck. "It happened a month ago when I was training. It was a careless mistake. I don't have anymore scars."

"No," she whispered, and she tenderly placed her hand over his heart. "You have so many in here." The aqua green sea met the midnight black sky.

He had never known such relief from her simple understanding. Sasuke bowed his head, his bangs hiding his eyes. His eyes concentrated on her hand on his chest, heat and warmth flowing through him.

"Sakura…why?" He asked painfully, his voice strained. His own hand was positioned over hers, grasping it lightly, as if he was afraid to break it.

Sakura used her free hand to lift his chin. His eyes revealed emotion for the first time. She felt her heart break. "I don't know." She honestly answered.

The answer surprisingly satisfied him. He slid off from where he was perched and looked away from her, almost shyly. "Thank you."

And this time, she smiled.

* * *

Naruto and his team was situated in a cozy room that they rented from a very nice old woman, who was kind enough to provide a shelter from the onslaught of rain.

Neji was currently dozing off with Tenten firmly in his arms, with a warm, fleece blanket surrounding them.

"Neji, are you sleeping?" The woman in his embrace whispered quietly.

The Hyuuga did not open his eyes, but gave a simple grunt of acknowledgement.

"I can't stop worrying about Sakura. What if something has happened to her?" She refused to let the fear break her. Tenten tightened her grip on Neji's arms.

Neji actually couldn't stop worrying about the mission as a whole. If Haruno Sakura was dead, then the mission would be hard to accomplish. Almost impossible. But Naruto had always been able to overcome such impossible odds. "Tenten, it does not do any good to worry so much." His voice was that emotionless voice.

Tenten nodded, trying to believe his words. She shuddered involuntarily, even though she was warm enough. "What if Itachi has done something terrible to her? And Sasuke, what will Sasuke do? Sakura might still go in a mental break down. You saw through her tough act with your eyes. Her emotional and mental condition isn't as stable as Tsunade-sama would have liked it."

The Byakugan user tried to force down a sigh. "Worrying still won't make the situation any better."

"But it's not making things worse, is it?" Tenten retorted, just a little unsettled by his lack of concern for his ANBU teammate.

Neji knew that Tenten wasn't the type to worry, so he guessed that the predicament at hand was far worse than he could have liked to admit. He watched the glow of the fire, the jolly crackle of the flames as they danced haphazardly in the fireplace. They played with the lighting of Tenten's face.

"Tenten, I rather not see you with so much worry."

The weapon specialist turned her head sideways to awkwardly meet the side of his face. Her lips brushed against his cheek and she smiled a small smile. "Really?"

"You shouldn't worry too much. I heard it's not very good for your complexion."

Tenten scoffed. "Since when did I think about my complexion?"

"Never, but I did and still do." His hand slipped out from underneath the blanket to stroke a thumb over her cheek. She closed her eyes at his touch.

A time later, she fell asleep, her head resting against his shoulder.

And he became deeply submerged in his thoughts.

* * *

Uchiha Itachi arrived at the riverside. He picked up ragged cloths of silk that had washed up on a rock. His red eyes traveled upstream. A large boulder could be seen and he went behind it, to find two softly indented spots in the dirt. He looked around and found that the trail led through the forest again. He tracked the two of them walking and soon arrived at a deathly silent village. The quietness settled around him.

He looked far, his eyes searching for anything. Nothing.

Then he would wait patiently until morning for her to wake up. Itachi threw a kunai at the ground, its tip buried deep in the dirt.

_I'll come back, Sakura-san._

The elder Uchiha disappeared to lead the Akatsuki into the village.

* * *

**Author's Notes:** I humbly apologize for being so late! I've been quite busy with school and I haven't got the time to write so often. But here is Chapter 7 with a LOT of Sasuke x Sakura. I think you all can see what the pairing will end up as, but I'll have Itachi not let go without a grand fight. I hope you're satisfied with this chapter. It's more focused on Sasuke x Sakura now, rather than Neji x Tenten and Naruto x Hinata. Keep up your reviews! Thank you! 


	8. Mission: Part VIII

**Itonami: **Chapter 8, yall! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Naruto.

* * *

Chapter 8 

Sasuke was half sitting, half lying on his bed, as he counted with his fingers how many hours it had been since they had fallen asleep. A pink haired woman lay beside him, perfectly resting on her side, her face calm and facing him. He glanced back at his hands and hesitantly touched her face, asking himself mentally if she was real. Sakura slightly pressed her face deeper into the pillow, as if shying away from his touch.

His slender fingers recoiled automatically at her movement, and the room became silent. Sasuke let out a sigh, his usual, unruly black bangs brushing against his face.

"Sasuke?" A voice murmured sleepily. "What time is it?" Sakura asked, tiredly rubbing her eyes with a hand.

"It's only three in the morning. Go back to sleep." His voice was soft and it gently eased the medic nin back into sleep.

The Uchiha went over what had happened in the last few hours. The two of them had talked, or more like Sasuke was listening Sakura was talking, but that was beside the point. It had been oddly comforting to listen to her tales of home, the home she had said 'that also belongs to you.' He didn't believe her, but rather fantasized but the home that existed the first nine years of his life.

It hurt to think now, about them and the time he was able to spend with them. He didn't know whether that was a sin or not, but it made him guilty inside. Unconsciously, his hand slipped beneath the covers and found one of hers. He grasped it for comfort, and closed his eyes. Sakura and Sasuke had talked until she fell asleep on the bed, and he simply joined her, almost savoring the quiet condolence she provided unknowingly.

Sakura…made him question his leave from Konoha in the first place, why the only thing he had said to her before he left was a simple thank you. He didn't want to find her gone the next morning and thus, the lack of sleep he was getting. Sasuke didn't want to sleep, just in case his mind was playing cruel tricks on him. He tightened his hold on her hand again, and then released it slowly, making her open up her hand to accept his.

'_Sasuke, promise me, if you complete your ambition and reach your goal, please come back. I can't beg you this time, but I can remind you that you still have a home in Konoha. You still have me. Don't forget it. This is all I want from you.'_

If he was able to survive his revenge, he would go back. Even if the Leaf didn't accept him, he knew that she would. And that was sufficient.

The Leaf jounin stirred slightly. The body beside her offered her warmth that she couldn't help but snuggle against. Sakura had a vague idea that she was in bed with a man, a man that she met only a day or so ago. But then, the year that she spent with him when they were twelve counted for something, right? But the man beside her was an enigma, a stranger yet not quite a complete stranger. She knew him, but then still had no idea of who he was, sometimes making her uneasy. But all of her fears had melted away when Sasuke reassured her that nothing would happen to her.

It was late in the morning when Haruno Sakura woke up. The sun wasn't shining for the storm last night still left some clouds in the sky. She woke up alone and slightly colder than she had been in her sleep. The space next to her was unoccupied and she felt a slight twinge of disappointment sink into her stomach. Shaking it off vigorously, Sakura decided to wash up and head out for breakfast and look for the missing nin.

When she was out of inn, a collected looking Sasuke was leaning against the wall next to her, his arms crossed and his eyes staring at her appearance. A slight arrogant smirk that reminded Sakura of the young Sasuke was on his face. He used his body to push himself off the wall smoothly and took his place next to her.

Sakura looked questioningly at him. Without another word or acknowledgement, Sasuke started walking towards the direction of the forest. She snapped out of her confusion and caught up with him, silently enjoying the peace they had mutually come to after five years of separation.

It was surprising when he led her to a different part of the river that she had bathed in yesterday. It was beautiful. The greenery matched perfectly with the clear stream of water and the dark, smoothness of the rocks planted everywhere. Twenty meters south was a small waterfall, perfect in its form as water tumbled over its edge. Sasuke looked at her as she surveyed the area with delight and admiration.

"I found it this morning when I was training." He mentioned quietly.

"Come on, Sasuke, let's play!" She giggled as she grabbed his hand and ran fast into the river.

Cool water splashed around them, as she laughed, gleefully spraying a stunned Sasuke with the water. He stood in the water, rather displeased that he got wet still in his clothes. But his face couldn't help but break into a slight smile as she expertly and gracefully jumped from rock to rock, around him, testing her balance on the slippery boulders underneath her feet.

Sasuke shed his sweater and sat under the waterfall, relaxing and letting the deafening roar of water drown out unnecessary thoughts from him. Sakura was in his field of vision, as she trained her creaky body again to its original form. He got to see her warm up routine, very different from his own.

The Konoha jounin started with a series of stretches, her body bending very flexibly and elegantly. Then, after the dance-like group of stretches, she got serious and trained her chakra control, circulating the chakra swiftly all over her body for easy access. She then started to punch and kick the air harshly, focusing on form and power. Her speed was quite impressive and her reaction time was impeccable, but her chakra control still amazed him. She had grown in skill, even more than he would have expected her to.

After their relaxing ordeal, they headed back into the village, still wet from Sakura's water fight. Sasuke bought them lunch and they ate, while Sasuke planned for Sakura to return to her team. Sakura secretly wished that she could spend just a little bit more time with him before she had to go.

* * *

Naruto sat, facing his ANBU team minus their presently missing medic, and he took a deep breath. "Look, there's been some new information concerning Sakura. Some citizens in the village north from where we are recall seeing a pink haired woman yesterday. We're close. We think the best way to retrieve her is to go there. All of us, together. We can put aside our real mission for now, but I think this rescue mission is more important than two Uchiha bastards. 

"Since we know Itachi has her as a hostage, we need to be careful. His Akatsuki is all over the place. We split up and we approach from the north and the south. Neji and Hinata are our eyes. We get Sakura and we high tail it out. Then we start the mission over again. Got it? Any questions?"

Everyone smirked. "When do we start?"

Soon, the Konoha ANBU team darted north. Hinata and Neji had their Byakugan activated, chakra veins bulging from the sides of their eyes. They kept watch as they bounded from tree to tree, almost flying through the air in order to reach their teammate.

Naruto was right behind Hinata, who was scouting first, then came Shikamaru with Rock Lee following quickly behind. Tenten took Sakura's place in the wake of Lee and Neji took up the rear with his 359 degree vision around him.

"Alright, team, we're almost there. Let's just hope we're in time." Naruto called back to everyone.

* * *

Sasuke didn't know where to begin with the issue of finding the other ANBU. They had no idea where they were, so Sakura couldn't find her way back. Her radio transmitter was taken by Itachi, so there was no way to contact them. Going to look for them aimlessly was a slight problem because finding their target would be as possible as trying to find a needle in a haystack. Perhaps they could come and search for Sakura instead. 

"Sasuke, can I ask you a question?" A melodic voice asked beside him. They were currently sitting under a tree, its leaves providing a soothing relief from the bustling village.

"Hm?"

"Did you ever miss Konoha?"

Sasuke almost flinched at the question. Had he? He decided to remain silent. She got the message, almost tempted to turn back into the timid girl five years ago. It was a hot, humid afternoon and Sakura didn't feel like pestering him, since she would be irritated also.

"It's nice today, isn't it?" She murmured quietly, half speaking to herself. Sakura leaned back on her hands as she tried to ignore the pressuring silence building up around them.

Without a sound, Sasuke fell charmingly on his back, his hands providing a small support from the grass. His line of vision was the tree's leaves, green and gently swaying the stifling breeze. He felt her body still sitting rather than join him on the grass. A very, very miniscule quantity of discontentment flushed in his chest. The silence filled the air like the heat almost to the point of unbearable.

"Sakura—"

"Sasuke—"

They blurted out at the same time. The pair looked caught off and looked away, fighting the small blush that made their way into their cheeks.

Sasuke suppressed his uneasiness. "Go ahead." He muttered, still not meeting her eyes.

"It's nothing. What were you going to say?" She said, trying to pass it off casually.

"It's not important. Nevermind." He said quickly.

Sakura lay down beside him on her side, her head resting on her hand. "Sasuke, I just wanted to say that…it was good to see you again." She gave him a toothy grin as he stared at her in surprise.

The missing nin of Konoha closed his onyx eyes and smiled a little at the sky. "Likewise, Sakura. Likewise."

* * *

The Akatsuki were on the move. They were mere shadows in the forest as they headed towards Itachi's destination. The Uchiha was well ahead of them, a prick of annoyance at their leisure pace. Kisame caught up with him quickly, the large sword on his back was strapped tightly so that it wouldn't bother him in such a fast travel. Usually, Itachi took his time getting to his business unless it was desperately urgent—which was never. Now this guy was speeding like a bullet, not caring whether he left the rest of the Akatsuki or not. He bit back the urge to growl in frustration. _Damn that kunoichi._

Itachi had given orders that his orders were to be disobeyed and the one simple order was not to touch the woman with pink hair. The rest of the Akatsuki remained impassive, but a few of them allowed a confused, inquiring look to pass in their eyes.

"Kisame, tell the others to hurry. We're almost there."

Once again, the Sharingan user was left alone as he kept up his fast pace. His hands grew impatient inside his black robe and to keep them occupied, he let them play with a kunai from his holster. His eyes desired to see blood…her blood. He wanted to see it fly through the air and to tell her that love is only an imagination of the weak. He wanted to feel her lifeblood pool around them like he had once left his parents like so many years ago. Itachi's face remained expressionless as he felt twenty nine other chakras gaining up behind him. It did not occur to him that the village that confined his Sakura-san would be burned to the ground by sunrise. If he did know, he did not care.

"Itachi, what is up with you and that little brat of a kunoichi?" Kisame hissed softly so that only the man that could hear him was Itachi.

The S-class criminal looked at him, his eyes the same furious red. "She is a hard kunoichi to break. I want to try again." A hint of amusement was laced in his voice.

Kisame rolled his eyes. "You never cease to make me angry, Itachi. You better know what you're doing."

"Oh, yes, quite." He replied effortlessly.

The words further grated on the shark-like shinobi's nerves. A dangerous, aggravated growl made its way up his throat, making few of the subordinates glance at the pair for a moment. Itachi's eyes widened for a split second as they spotted a small outline of the village. "There." He disappeared quickly, making Kisame sigh again.

* * *

Sakura had fallen asleep beside Sasuke under their tree, blissfully unaware of the oncoming danger. Sasuke had left to train in the woods again, and he left a hastily scribbled note under the security of her hands that were resting on her stomach. 

Pedestrians gazed curiously at the sleeping pink haired lady underneath the giant oak.

It wasn't until the sunset when Sakura woke up. Children were being called into homes and people were reaching their houses back to their families that awaited them anxiously. Sakura's eyes fluttered open, and sat up, the note falling on her lap. Picking it up, she scanned it quickly and a smile played prettily on her lips.

Stretching grandly, she felt refreshed and ready to go back to the inn. The jounin walked slowly, seeing no reason to hurry since Sasuke wasn't there with her. It was getting cooler and the sky was lit up into brilliant shades of oranges and reds. Admiring the colors, she kept walking and almost stopped when she felt enormous amounts of chakra around her, surrounding her. Keeping her eyes straight and her pace easy and steady, she continued on her way. Enemy nins were quick to catch a difference in movement. Her mind raced around in her head, forcing herself to be calm and act like she had not noticed. Her senses were heightened dramatically.

A kunai flew straight and true, speeding towards her back at an amazing velocity. But the ANBU nin whipped around to catch it expertly and twirled it excitedly as she launched herself at an unknown Akatsuki. Their robes stood out like Naruto's orange shirt. Her speed caught the unfortunate ninja off guard and she slashed through him viciously, her shinobi instincts and experiences kicking in automatically.

Sakura found herself in an attack position with the kunai in hand, with a crowd of Akatsuki members trapping her in a circle. One dared to throw a shuriken, bracing himself for her agility. It never came. Instead, she caught that one too, then threw both of her new weapons to the sides, catching one on the arm and another in the neck.

Suddenly, as if from an invisible signal, half of them darted out in different directions until the medic nin couldn't feel their chakras anymore. A sickeningly familiar Akatsuki stepped forward.

"Uchiha Itachi…" She snarled as she crouched lower. Itachi was out of her league, even though it hurt her pride to admit it, but she wouldn't go down without fighting.

"Sakura-san, I'm afraid I can't be as forgiving as last time. I warned you to stay put. I do not like my orders disobeyed." Itachi said monotonously.

Sakura looked annoyed. "I guess you don't know me so well, Uchiha-san. I'm a very stubborn girl."

The lightest hint of a smile graced the older Uchiha's face. "Then, it would be my pleasure to know you well."

She flushed as she heard some of the other Akatsuki chuckle. Gripping her kunai better, her olive orbs narrowed into treacherous slits. "Bastard." She spat out in a disgusted voice.

She saw him disappeared and quickly dodged when he reappeared behind her. His gaze calculated her quickly. "Impressive, Sakura-san. I didn't know you were this fast."

The kunoichi didn't reply but decided to engage him head on. He couldn't read taijutsu easily with his Sharingan, no matter how powerful. She was strong in genjutsu, and would be able to hold off his genjutsu at bay.

Quickly darting to the left, she was surprised by a firm kick to her side. Sakura regained balance on her feet, as she slid back a couple of feet with her heels digging into the dirt, leaving a trail. She breathed heavily and each inhale agitated her fresh bruise even more. Itachi was fast. It was inhuman how fast he was.

Outmatched in speed, she decided to try distraction. Pulling out two kunais and shurikens, she threw them hard at him and disappeared soon after. Itachi parried off the weapons with a kunai of his own smoothly. Sakura came from behind, her vengeful fist circulating with chakra as she punched his chest in a direct hit. Instantaneous chakra release would have done significant damage on a person…only if it was on an actual person.

Itachi's shadow clone disappeared in a wisp of smoke. An iron blow fell on her stomach and she doubled over in pain, feeling blood ooze out from the corner of her mouth. Whipping out another weapon from her pouch, she swung out but hardly grazing his robe.

"Love is weakness, Sakura-san." He struck again, sending her reeling back at his contact.

Sakura's head spun as she tried to comprehend his logic. Her arm was clutching tightly to her stomach as she cough up blood, trying to get rid of its bitter, metallic taste. "You're not the happiest person in the world are you?" She muttered mockingly under her breath.

She decided on the Killing Hands jutsu, but it would be virtually useless unless she could go for his heart. Her hands initiated the seals and dangerous, pink chakra emitted from them. Her unique chakra color made an impression on the Uchiha.

Flitting in and out of view, she made her path unpredictable but it was still no match for the Sharingan. Itachi braced himself for her attack in three seconds and she was there at his predicted time. Reaching out swiftly, he tightly grabbed her wrists carefully avoiding them and bending them back so that she couldn't move.

The jounin growled as she stood her ground and tried to push against him with all her might to at least lay a finger on his chest. But his strength surpassed hers by a mile and he kept her trapped. She raised her leg to kick him in the face, but he blocked it easily by kicking it down. His sandal scraped her shin, causing her to grit her teeth at the pain, making an effort to ignore the feeling of her blood dripping down from the wound.

The red eyed Akatsuki leader agonizingly twisted her arms, almost to the point where he disconnected her elbows. But he abruptly let go, using her vulnerable surprise to grab her around the neck with his arm, turning her around so that her back was pressed against his. He found himself enjoying the feeling of her resting on him. She struggled valiantly, trying every maneuver that she knew how to get out of his hold. It was like trying to stop Sasuke from training.

"You smell nice, Sakura-san." He whispered into her ear as he slipped out a sharp kunai. His velvet voice sent a fearful shiver down her spine, causing her to be frightened out of her wits.

Without thinking, she screamed at her top of her voice, "SASUKE!"

Uchiha Sasuke snapped his head up from his current position as he rested from his training. "Sakura?"

He bolted from his rock and sped towards the village where he last saw her. Seeing the edge of the forest, he took of at a full speed sprint. It was then that he felt a group of powerful chakras in the direction of the inn. Taking out five shurikens, he spotted the circle of familiar, hated black robes, decorated with red outlines of clouds. _Akatsuki!_

Throwing the metal weapons in his hands capably, he slew five of them, clearing a path for him to enter the ring.

Itachi almost invisible smirk faded and was replaced by a frozen, detached countenance. He still held Sakura, now holding her for a completely different unknown reason. The medic nin couldn't have been any happier to see Sasuke's handsome face.

But Sasuke stood unmoving, staring at his brother that waswith a kunai in hand while he had his other arm around Sakura's neck. Her usually pretty face was beaten up and dried blood caked a corner of her lips. It was clear she had given Itachi a fight. He never thought his revenge would be this way. But he would take it in any way. It was going to end today. Itachi was going to die for all he had done to him.

Sakura watched his angry expression now taking control. What was going to happen? _I will not die here. I will die if Sasuke dies. Until then, I will live. This is my promise to you, Sasuke. _She slammed her heel on his toes, taking his arm and swinging it off of her as if it wasa hot piece of burning coaland dartedbehind Sasuke. He did not seem to notice her. His bloody crimson eyes were fixed on his brothers.

There was going to be a massacre tonight of one Uchiha…or two.

* * *

**Author's notes:** Well, chapter 8 is finished! Did you like it? Finally, the long awaited match between the two Uchiha brothers. I hope Sakura or Sasuke or Itachi aren't annoying or OOC. I tried my best. Sasuke is still awkward with emotions, like his brother, and Sakura is still more or less as emotional asbefore. Please notify me if you think the characters are a little off. I beg you! 

I don't believe I was too late with this one. But I'm sorry for the wait. This took awhile to write. Thanks for all of your reviews! I appreciate them very much!


	9. Mission Part IX

**Itonami: Enjoy chapter nine! Thank you for all of your reviews!**

Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Naruto.

Chapter 9

* * *

"Sakura, promise me that you won't interrupt." Sasuke said softly, his gaze still focused on his brother.

"But—"

"Promise me!" He hissed, whirling around to catch her tightly by the shoulders. His eyes were a mad, spinning red but they begged her to stay put. She could only nod as her only answer. Sasuke slowly turned to face Itachi again, this time shifting into an offensive pose.

"Long time no see, _niisan_." Sasuke snarled.

Itachi remained still. But he spoke. "You truly are still foolish, little brother."

Sasuke's eyes flashed furiously at his words. They made his blood boil. "Everything will start and finish here, brother. I will kill you." Instead of seeing a glinting mocking look in Itachi's eyes, there was a spark of challenge.

There was a silent pause as a leaf blew by between them. Itachi also crouched. His lips opened to say only one word. "Come."

The massacre began.

Naruto saw a horde of very unpleasant looking ninjas as his team arrived at the village. He noted with half relief that he could see a shock of pink hair among them. Hinata looked at him and nodded. "Sakura is there and so is Sasuke. It looks like Sasuke is going to face off with Itachi."

The ANBU captain almost went into shock when his team saw the two brothers with Sakura in the background, still trapped in the circle of Akatsuki shinobi.

"Naruto, Akatsuki at six o'clock!" Neji shouted from the back.

"Split up! Hinata, me, Shikamaru, go down there to where Sakura is! The rest hold them back!" Naruto shouted.

Tenten eagerly pulled out several weapons from her vest. Neji took his place beside her to the right as Lee took her left side. "Just like old time, ne, guys?" She asked, keeping her eyes steady on the oncoming force of dark shinobis.

Lee stepped into his taijutsu form, and arm extended forward as if egging them on even more. Neji refaced his Byakugan, as he noted the keen looks on their faces. He almost smiled. "Let's begin, shall we?"

Steel met skin, hands and feet met flesh, as powerful chakra met bodies, and the former genin team started their battle.

Neji started by stopping the flow of chakra in two of the enemies and Tenten took over, bombarding them with weapons they couldn't dodge. Lee took care of business in his own way. Faking kicks this away and that, he landed true iron blows on five of them, breaking several bones in each.

Tenten whirled to block an incoming fumma shuriken with her own and calmly stopped the hazardous spin to it. "Weapons…you can't beat me with weapons." Her voice contained an air of arrogance in them.

The taijutsu kicked two oncoming nin towards his Hyuuga teammate. "Neji, catch!"

Turning around, the Hyuuga stepped into a style close to his Kaiten, but he had modified it, becoming the very first of the Hyuuga Clan to advance a jutsu, earning him the spot as a Main House member. He had only used it twice before in actual combat: Hakkeshou: Kaiten Boufuu, the legendary Hand of the Eight Divinations: Heavenly Spin Windstorm (1). The Kaiten involved his chakra pouring out of his tenketsu, but this time, enhancing the chakra into many jagged sharp tips, he was able to shred up to three opponents into nothing.

Tenten couldn't help but watch Neji perform his jutsu. She remembered being there when Hyuuga Hiashi publicly deactivated the seal on Neji's head and formally allowed him to join the Main House. It had never been done before, but it was rumored that Hiashi had been researching for a way to deactivate the Branch family's seal ever since the Chuunin exams for Neji's sake…and for his deceased brother's memory. Even after all of that, the Hyuuga Clan's leader later privately apologized to his nephew for not being able to actually erase the mark. It was the first time and probably the last time she would see Neji's eyes cloud with tears. That Kaiten Boufuu provided Neji with the ticket out of being stuck in destiny's grasp and he got to honor his father's memory.

Seeing the weapon kunoichi distracted, an Akatsuki charged with senbon needles. Lee saw him coming. "Tenten, pay attention!" He shouted, as he quickly disposed of the foolish ninja. "If you keep this up, the burning youth inside of you will be extinguished!"

Tenten could only roll her eyes.

Naruto's rage took over, his azure eyes transforming into an insane reddish pink, as his fingers became tipped with sharp nails. The lines on his face engraved themselves deeper and his body released a powerful chakra. His fox-enhanced vision gave him a look at Sakura's battered body and Sasuke getting ready to fight. Skillfully and easily knocking aside two Akatsuki, he slashed at what he could reach.

It began to drizzle.

Sasuke was too experienced now to rush headlong into battle recklessly even when the intent to kill the enemy was almost enough to make him go wild. He was surprised when Itachi made the first move. The older Uchiha rushed him with a kunai but Sasuke easily parried the blows, cunning step-siding when he needed to. Both of their Sharingans were activated, each attempting to overpower each other.

Sasuke's hands suddenly made a series of seals that was very recognizable to Itachi. He followed his movements. "Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu!"

Scorching hot flames jetted from their mouths, two giant balls of fire colliding into each to each other that created an explosion. Sasuke moved quickly through the smoke as he waited for the presence of his brother. "Still not enough hate, Sasuke. Hate me like I hated you and your parents." Came the calm, monotone voice of Itachi.

He struck then.

Multiple blows of sly fists knocked the air out of Sasuke's lungs and a kick to his chin sent him flying. He could feel the trickling of blood down his chin as he tasted the tangy flavor of his own blood. Itachi advanced swiftly. Inside his robe, he made a series of seals. Taking a deep breath and exhaling quickly, he created, Okibihiryuu no jutsu, the Fire Dragon no jutsu (2). A huge, long stream of liquid fire spewed out the tip looked like the head of a mighty dragon, and with chakra, it flayed about, trying to engulf Sasuke in its searing hot mouth. The ground was muddy. Sasuke tripped. He fell headfirst on the mud, scraping his knee and elbows as he scrambled to dodge the oncoming attack. The dragon's snapping jaws missed Sasuke by mere inches. The heat burned his skin minutely.

The dragon retreated and the two brothers stood again in the rain.

Sakura watched in complete awe at the sight. She was currently fighting off the enemy with Naruto by her side. The building abhorrence that Sasuke was practically radiating stunned her. She had never known that such anger and fury was dwelling in him. Her pink hair was plastered to her head due to the pounding rain. She focused her attention back to her opponent.

The younger Uchiha sibling did not even flinch when the skies thundered and the heavens opened up, merciless rain beating down on them. It was a sudden and unexpected, but he welcomed it as the water washed off some of the mud and blood from his face. Rainwater slipped down his face and dripped off his chin. The coolness it provided did nothing to cool down the burning loath that Sasuke was feeling.

Itachi provoked his brother once more. "Hate me like I hated you and your parents."

Sasuke couldn't take it anymore. "_I hate you!_" Every fiber of his being screamed out his rage as he felt his brother appear directly behind him with a deadly jutsu prepared but he stabbed Itachi with a kunai, its head buried deep in his flesh. Itachi looked at where the kunai had lodged itself while Sasuke was still holding onto the hilt protruding from his chest. The younger brother was merciless. He jabbed it further and further in his older brother's flesh and it made Itachi cough, blood spattering over his black cloak.

Time itself seemed to stop.

Sasuke's words had rooted the elder Uchiha to the spot, his words triggering something unknown, a kind of pain that he hadnever known. He had never heard the word hate come from his little brother's mouth, and never heard it directed at him with enough hatred to make him stagger back. But Sasuke couldn't stop. He didn't dare to stop. He struck heavily with taijutsu maneuvers, ones that he had learned long ago in Konoha. Itachi struggled out of his shock and managed to block the last few hits to the abdomen.

"_I hate you! I hate you!_" Sasuke shouted, a pure, blinding frenzy overtaking his control over his body. "I hate you for all you represent in my life! It all stops here!" He hissed dangerously. Again, something felt like it was shot dead in Itachi. He couldn't stop the younger brother from pummeling him with chakra enhanced blows. They were mere dull aches compared to what was going on inside the Uchiha prodigy's body.

Sasuke's backhanded fist lashed out, his punches and kicks becoming even more desperate and forced. He took out another kunai and slashed his niisan's body over and over again, repeating that he hated him, not noticing that blood gushed out everywhere, not noticing that he was literally bathing in his hated brother's blood. Breaths came hard from the rivaling brothers. Someone was calling out to Sasuke in the background very faintly, but he continued, only sheer willpower making him go on. A prick of slight pain touched the side of his neck, and black, flaming marks spreading all over his body as he felt a fresh wave of dark chakra. A maniacal smile spread on his face, giving him an eerie possessed look. _Blood is lovely…_

"SASUKE, STOP!" Sakura rushed to him, clutching the rampaging Sasuke from behind and something about the scene was familiar. His face turned to meet her tear-stained face, and through his fury he recognized the kunoichi that he had spent his day with, happily and peacefully without the thought of being an avenger or his brother's death. His Sharingan melted away into his normal black color as the curse seal retreated back to where it had been hibernating. "No more, Sasuke. Please, no more."

A feeble cough startled them out of their trance and they both looked down. Sasuke fell to his knees, exhausted from what he had been through. Sakura went down with him, her arms letting go as Sasuke reached out with a shaking hand to touch Itachi's pale skin. He recoiled when he made slight contact as if he had touched something lethal.

Itachi stared at him with lifeless eyes that almost made him shiver. "Did you know, Sasuke, that I never hated you?" - Sasuke's eyes grew wide - "No, I never hated you. I never could hate you." There was a gap of silence filled with disbelief.

"What are you talking about?" Sasuke growled angrily, a hint of fear seeping into his tone.

The elder Uchiha, the infamous Uchiha Itachi that murdered almost his entire clan could hardly see through his charcoal black eyes. A tear escaped from the corner of one, but the rain made it impossible to be visible. "Run, and cling to life, little brother. Find happiness with Sakura-san and cling to her like life itself." Itachi tried to reach out but found that he couldn't. His arms were cut up beyond recognition. Agonizing pain filled his body like fire and he realized that he wanted to touch Sasuke just once, touch his baby brother like he had before when they were younger. With Herculean strength, he raised one of his deformed arms and just one fingertip brushed against Sasuke's face.

His eyes were going blind. Itachi could barely make out Sakura beside his brother. "Sakura-san?" Sakura almost jumped at his recognition of her. "I know I do not deserve any favors…but I'd like to ask you to do one thing. I'd like to ask if you could look after Sasuke for me. No…not for me, but for him? Could you?" He could see her blurry head nodded up and down. He sighed with relief.

Sasuke grew enraged and desperate. He shook his brother aggressively. "Damn it, Itachi, what the hell are you talking about? Answer me!" Itachi only gave him a ghostly smile that finally looked natural on his face.

"I'm sorry…my foolish little brother."

"Itachi! Damn it!" He shouted, racking the lifeless body. Hot watery liquid from his eyes fell down his face, mingling with the rain. Sasuke slowed and reached a halt in shaking his brother, knowing that his brother was dead. The Uchiha massacre was almost complete. "…Niisan?" Sasuke whispered hoarsely, looking down at Itachi's peaceful face. He inhaled a shuddering breath. "What have I done?" His eyes grew in shock as he took in the full sight of his own trembling, blood stained hands. "What have I done?"

Sakura felt a tidal wave sadness and sympathy for the ninja in front of her. She closed her arms around him and he collapsed into her embrace, his body sliding down in the mud so that he was quietly sobbing into her lap with his arms tightly encircled her tiny waist, clutching to her as if she was life itself. As she held him, she could feel the warmness of his body and his tears. Holding him closer, she cried with him.

Neji supported a limping Tenten while Lee was tying a makeshift splint on his leg. Hinata was weakly sitting in the mud while Shikamaru was tending to her severe wounds. Being only a chuunin, the battle had taken its toll on her. Naruto's power receded as he gazed at his surroundings. Thirty dead bodies belonging to the Akatsuki littered the muddy ground, tinting the brown with a revolting red. Kisame had lasted till the end until Naruto finished it with his Rasengan. His natural blue eyes spotted Sakura and Sasuke together, with the latter in an awkward position on the ground while hugging Sakura's waist. He looked completely wasted.

Not far away from them, Itachi lay dead facing upwards at the sky. Naruto approached Sakura and crouched beside her. "Sakura, you know what we have to do." Sakura's green eyes begged him, pleaded with him as she shook her head in a frightened way and her arms around the missing nin constricted.

His face was set solemnly as his eyes traveled to Sasuke. Naruto almost felt like flinching. "Sakura, you know your duty. If you don't do this, you will have failed as a ninja and you will have failed the village."

"I can't, Naruto. Please…" She implored in a whisper.

"Sakura…" He saw that Sasuke had fallen asleep. His eyes softened. "He's asleep."

Sakura looked surprised at his soft tone and glanced down. His grip around her was still strong, but indeed, he was asleep. Smiling quietly, she ran her hand through his wet, dark hair.

Neji looked very angry at the sight of the former legendary Team 7. Naruto wasn't going to execute Sasuke. He could feel it in his gut. Tenten was about to slip into unconsciousness and Lee had turned away from the sight of Sakura holding Sasuke tenderly.

Naruto made sure Hinata was all right and asked Shikamaru to find an inn. He ran off swiftly, forgetting his laziness for the moment. He came back that he had found an inn empty of people, probably those that escaped before the Akatsuki could kill off all of them. The landlord had offered them a place to stay since he didn't have anyone else to tend to. Shikamaru carried Hinata on his back and Naruto did the same with Sasuke. He was out cold. Sakura would be laughed out loud at the sight the two of them made. Sasuke had grown quite tall, almost as tall as Naruto and the blonde ANBU captain was hunched over significantly at the Uchiha's weight. She could only smile a tiny bit, but it was enough that Naruto noticed and he scowled at her.

"What the hell does he eat?" He growled, as they slowly made progress.

The other ANBUs were quiet and they felt awkward. Tenten had finally just decided that she couldn't keep her eyes open any longer and slept in Neji's arms. Sakura walked beside the lumbering Naruto, keeping her eyes on their conditions. She also went around treating slight wounds as well as she could before they reached the inn…or at least offered to. Lee politely declined her healing while Neji coldly turned it down. Shikamaru was too lazy to answer or pull away and she treated him from the painful bruises on his back.

When the inn door opened, Shikamaru quickly went to a bedroom to lay Hinata to rest. Naruto kicked open the door across the hall and half put him down and half dropped him on the mattress. Sakura gave soldier pills to everyone and supervised while the male Hyuuga bandaged Tenten's arms and ankle.

The ANBU medic nin offered to see Lee's wounds again, but he refused once more, this time flaring up her anger. "Rock Lee, I am going to see your leg whether you like it or not. You can kick and scream all you want like an immature child, or you can let me see your leg willingly. Which will it be?" In the end, Sakura ended up healing his leg fully so that the splint was unnecessary.

On the other hand, being stern with Hyuuga Neji didn't quite work. He wouldn't even let her touch Tenten. Sakura exasperatedly threw up her hands and gave up, but planned to at least treat Tenten at night.

She retreated to Sasuke's bedside, taking him out of his wet shirt and asked Naruto to take off his pants. Sakura asked the landlord if he had any spare clothes and he found her a pair of pants and a clean shirt. After Naruto was finished with dressing him, he bid her good night and hurriedly went to Hinata's room.

Sakura took off her shirt and wrapped her body comfortably in a bathrobe provided by the inn. She toweled her hair dry after a shower and seated herself on a chair beside the sleeping Uchiha.

"I don't know what I'm going to do tomorrow. What will happen tomorrow?" She murmured.

Naruto was worriedly glancing down at Hinata, who was fitfully resting. Sakura had tended to her as best she could. He was relieved to find out that his fiancé was going to make it through. He grasped her limp hand and they were still quite soft and warm. The ANBU captain bit his lip anxiously, eyeing his white fox mask and he sighed wearily. He stripped from his uniform that clung uncomfortably to him from the rain.

He grabbed his pack and pulled out extra set of clothes consisting of standard black jounin pants and his favorite black and orange shirt. He splashed water on his face and asked the innkeeper if he had any coffee. Carrying two steaming cups of coffee a few minutes later, he set one down on the bed stand next to Hinata and took his seat beside her again. Naruto sipped his drink while silently wishing for Hinata's health and her ramen. He scowled at himself, displeased that he could be thinking about food at a time like this.

A knock came at the door. "Naruto, are you sleeping?" Sakura's muffled voice carried through from the other side.

"No, come one in." Naruto said, smelling a delicious aroma.

The tired looking medic carefully opened the door carrying two bowls of kimchi ramen and chopsticks. Naruto's mouth began to water at the sight of food. He eagerly took his and Sakura sat on the other side of Hinata's bed. She gazed at the Hyuuga heir and frowned.

"I should have never asked her to come along. What was I thinking?" She muttered, hardly even touching her food. She had suddenly lost her appetite.

"Come on, Sakura-chan. She'll be all right. You said so yourself. Besides, who else am I going to marry after this?"

Sakura looked shocked. "You're going to ask Hinata?"

Naruto grinned widely, his mouth displaying a few bits of noodles decorating his teeth. "Already did."

She jumped up, almost knocking over her ramen and clapped her hands to her mouth. "Did you really? She said yes? Of course she said yes. When will the wedding be? You will invite me, right? Who's her Maid of Honor? Who's the Best man?"

"Sakura-chan, we haven't decided on anything yet…besides the decision that Neji is my best man."

Sakura gaped at him with her jaw unhinged. "Are you _serious?_ Him? That—that—that—him!" She stuttered, giving up when she failed to turn up with the right word to describe the Hyuuga prodigy.

The blonde ninja in front of him smiled all the more. He leaned back in his chair, his legs stretching out leisurely and wrapped his hands behind his head. He winked broadly. "Uzumaki Hinata…" He sighed dreamily, "It does have a certain ring to it, right?"

Sakura grinned almost as wide as he was, feeling so overwhelmed with happiness and gladness that she didn't know what to do with it. Naruto inclined his head to indicate the full bowl of ramen beside her. "You should eat. It's been…a tough day, ne?"

Up until Itachi's invasion, everything had been wonderful. It had been so perfect that the day had felt like a dream. Now it she faced reality. Uchiha Sasuke was a traitor of the Leaf, a dangerous criminal, former ally with Orochimaru, and in a class of criminal activities by himself. He had unfortunately decided that his power was going to be put to use against the Leaf. It was so unfair that Sakura wanted to cry. But it was completely fair; she read and understood the look in Naruto's eyes: Sasuke would be executed tomorrow.

The medic ninja shuddered, suddenly feeling cold in the warm room, and she wrapped her arms around herself, and excused herself from Naruto's presence after she checked up on Hinata one last time. Retiring to the Sasuke's room, she plopped herself into the chair that she had occupied before.

Sasuke wasn't sleeping very well, and she could see his hands tremble. She grasped one of them, keeping the large strong hands enveloped in hers. The world felt no different even though Itachi was dead. He was dead. Yet nothing changed. They weren't back in Konoha sparring and spending time together, Sasuke was still not smiling, she still felt as vacant as ever. _I don't understand. I thought if Sasuke got his revenge, everything would be back to normal. Why isn't it? _She angrily thought, bitter that reality wasn't her fantasy.

The sole Uchiha carefully opened his eyes, his eyes hurting from the dim light of the lamp beside the bed. But a certain pink haired woman provided them relief. "Sakura, look at me." His harsh, airy voice grated against the stillness of the air.

Sakura averted her gaze to his quickly then relaxed. "You're awake, Sasuke."

Something in her voice confirmed what he had been suspecting all along. "Will you be there at the execution tomorrow?"

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**Author's notes:**

(1)- _Hakkeshou: Kaiten Boufuu, the legendary Hand of the Eight Divinations: Heavenly Spin Windstorm_ is a move that I made up with my superior creativity… :deathly pause, crickets chirp in the background: Fine, the superior creativity is overdoing it a little, but it is something that I made up. I'm not good with battle scenes, so please forgive me. This is my creation, but you are welcome to use it? X Not that anyone would…T-T I do not care if you want to use it as long as you notify me

(2)- _Okibihiryuu no jutsu, the Fire Dragon no jutsu_ is also a made up jutsu because I couldn't think of anything else to write for the battle scene. I don't even know if the name translates right because I used a really crappy Japanese-English dictionary. I'm not Japanese, (I'm from the little country directly west of the island of Japan. AHJA HANGOOK! XD) so please ridicule me all you want. If you happen to be Japanese or are educated well in the language, please, I request that you tell me what it is I really want to say… Thank you!

Chapter nine is complete! I updated fast! Aren't you proud of me? Don't think this is the end, my friends! It isn't! You haven't forgotten our darling Sannin, Orochimaru, have you? His revenge against the Leaf is thickening! Sasuke…will he be executed? Neji harbors a lot of bitterness and anger against the Uchiha, doesn't he? Well, I'll update when I can once more! I just couldn't stop writing after chapter 8, so… Reviews please! Lots of encouragement and inspiration needed!


	10. Mission: Part X

**Itonami: Thank you for all of your reviews! I love each and every one of you! Enjoy!**

Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Naruto.

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Chapter 10 

The storm had passed, allowing the sun to shine brightly in the morning. But the day seemed gloomier than what it had been yesterday to the ANBU team presently stationed at an inn. The Leaf ANBU hunter nin rule #171 stated that at least four witnesses were required to be there at an execution. Neji, Lee, Shikamaru, and Sakura would be the witnesses. Naruto, as the ANBU captain, would be the executioner. Sasuke did not struggle or resist when Neji and Shikamaru roughly hauled him in the middle of a small clearing.

Naruto had out his katana, given to him by the Godaime when he reached ANBU status. He grasped the hilt firmly as he stepped forward towards a kneeling Sasuke. Carefully composing an impassive expression and clearing his throat, he glared down at his former friend and rival, who did not acknowledge him by looking up. His eyes were cast down at the mossy ground.

When everything was set, with Sasuke's hands bound behind him with rope and chakra strings, Naruto started. "Uchiha Sasuke, you are here before this ANBU team that represents the village of Konoha, your homeland. In honor and shame, you will be executed for your numerous crimes, one charge that is first and foremost: allying with the Sannin Orochimaru. With these four witnesses, Hyuuga Neji, Rock Lee, Nara Shikamaru, and Haruno Sakura, I will report to the Leaf village that you, Uchiha Sasuke, an S-class criminal, have been executed. The execution is…"

Sasuke only half listened to the routine speech of an execution. He could feel Sakura's disturbed chakra to his left. Even as he thought about it, he would be lying if he said he was sorry for what he had done. The only thing in his life that he would regret was that Sakura would have to watch him die in a shameful way, as a criminal and a missing nin. Something ached for her touch, for her smile, and for her words of comfort like last night.

_"Will you be there at the execution tomorrow?"_

_Sakura looked at him with pained eyes. "Yes, I will, Sasuke."_

_Sasuke looked longingly at her as she turned off the light. Now he could only see a shadowy outline of her body sitting beside him. "Can you say it one more time, Sakura?"_

_She looked surprised. "Say what?"_

_He gazed at her with clear, unwavering eyes. "Can you say what you said to me five years ago? When you tried to persuade me not to go with the Sound nin?"_

_The Uchiha could feel her almost melt as she gripped his hand tightly. "I love you…with all of my heart."_

_"Do you?" He asked softly, freeing one hand from her clutches and running it down her cheek. "Even now, when I stand before you as a missing nin?"_

_She pressed her the side of her face further into his calloused touch. In a few simple movements that took his breath away, she shook her head. "No, I love you with all my heart…and more."_

_Pale light from the moon permitted Sakura to see a true half smile on his face. When he spoke, it was like smooth waterfall. "Itachi was right. I truly have been foolish. Even with my skill with the Sharingan, why couldn't I see you?" His innocent question was filled with bewilderment and disbelief, as if he could not believe that he had missed something so evident. _

_Sasuke felt her smile against his hand. "Because, Sasuke, the Sharingan doesn't help you in seeing love."_

"Do you have anything to say or do before the execution commences?" Naruto finished his longwinded speech. He looked at Sasuke expectantly, who was still kneeling with his head bowed.

Sasuke slowly raised his head and looked frankly at Sakura, who was standing in the sun, looking radiant but frightened. "Yes, there is one thing that I would like to do…" he drifted off, looking at the blonde captain for permission. Naruto could only nod.

Sakura walked to him, almost subconsciously, as if being pulled in by an invisible force. The captured Uchiha titled his face up and his half smile played on his lips. Exhaling softly, she fell to her knees and he leaned closer then pulled away shyly, as if teasing her, but met her lips in a chaste kiss. Sasuke added more pressure gently and Sakura tried to choke down a sob as tears freely cascaded from her eyes. "Thank you…" He whispered against her mouth. When he broke off the kiss, she put a hand to her mouth, suppressing her sobs that threatened to break from her throat. She stepped back quickly, back to where she was while gazing at him with eyes that begged to take her with him.

Lee looked away. Neji nearly felt sorry for her. Nearly…until Tenten came out limping, smiling at him. It was then that he did feel pity. Helping her to steady her balance, they watched.

Naruto gazed at Sasuke with cold, frozen eyes. "You betrayed me…not once, but twice. I thought of you as a brother." He hissed so that only the criminal could hear him, "You have caused so much pain in Sakura's heart that I can't begin to forgive you."

Sasuke looked at him directly, unflinching at the icy, blue pools. "I have never asked for your forgiveness." His voice wasn't mocking or scornful, just candid and calm.

"Damn you." Naruto whispered.

"It's been a long time…dobe."

It caused instant rage in Naruto, and he reacted with a punch in the face. Sasuke's lip started bleeding. "The only person who is allowed to call me that is Uchiha Sasuke. You are not him. No, that person has been dead for five years."

Sasuke continued, unfazed by the strike. "You've come a long way, dobe. ANBU captain, jounin…what else are you? The next successor for Hokage? I'm not-"

"Damn it, Sasuke, why do you act like this!" Naruto shouted, landing another blow to his stomach. "You're going to die, you bastard! Don't you understand that! Why are you acting like this!"

Naruto kept up his punches and kicks until he drove the former missing nin to a tree. Sasuke didn't even try to dodge. His back slammed against the tree trunk. He stayed there, slouched against the tree, his legs supporting him weakly. Naruto's hits were powered by anger. They hurt a lot more than Sasuke remembered them being.

A lethal blue ball of chakra spun on Naruto's hand. Sasuke recognized it clearly. _What a fitting way to die. _Sasuke thought thoughtlessly, as his eyes traveled to Sakura. A part of him screamed at her not to watch him die, but another part desperately wanted her to. "Good bye, Sakura…Naruto…" He closed his eyes and waited for the end.

"NO!" Sakura screamed from her spot, watching with terrified eyes, as she had promised him. Lee firmly gripped by the shoulders, preventing her from running in between the attack.

The Uchiha felt the tree splinter into a million pieces above him and the scent of burnt wood met his sense of smell. Naruto had missed on purpose. Sasuke opened his eyes and saw that the ANBU was facing away from him.

Naruto threw him a dirty look over his shoulder then looked back at his team and scowled. "I can't do it. If one of you can, be my guest." He shoved his hands in his pockets.

Nobody stepped forward. Lee uneasily shifted on his feet. Neji held Tenten tighter. Shikamaru sighed.

"We'll have an ANBU meeting now. As for him," –he inclined his head to the unmoving Sasuke against the tree— "Neji, can you close his major chakra channels? We'll bind him with a paralysis jutsu. Shikamaru, take care of that. After that, put him with Neji as a guard in his room. The rest of you, we'll have the meeting in the inn's bar. Hyuuga, we'll fill you in after the meeting is over."

Sakura helped Sasuke from the tree, pretty beat up from Naruto's assault. His lip was swollen from the first punch, and she put some medication on it. Her attire was different now for Lee had brought her pack with him when they decided to go in for her rescue. She was dressed in her ANBU uniform without the gray standard armor over her chest.

"Sasuke, are you alright?"

He could only nod and force himself not to wince when she aided him to his feet. His ribs were probably bruised now. Neji walked behind them as Sakura led them back to his room. Letting him sit, Sakura treated him and gave him a pill to lessen the pain from the wounds that she couldn't heal right then. She also watched Neji close some of the prisoner's tenketsu closed. As she walked out the door, Sakura gave a look to the temporary guard that Neji read as, 'hurt him or I will blackmail you.' He gave her an annoyed glare.

The meeting was quickly organized. Naruto was waiting for his team quietly. Once they were all there, he took a deep breath and began. "Look, as your captain, I'm not supposed to hesitate. I never intended to, but I guess that bastard still holds something in me after all this time. I think the best thing we can do is take him back the Tsunade, and let her deal with him. We just have to be careful with him. Four of the guys, me, Shikamaru, Lee, and Neji will bind him with our chakra strings, while Hinata will be our guide. Sakura will be our scout, and Tenten will be our front guard. Neji, since he has the Byakugan and he has a lot of stamina, will be our rear guard. We'll be in a cross formation. I'll take the front, Shikamaru takes the right, Lee takes the left, and Neji will take the back."

Lee raised a hand. Naruto nodded to him. "What do we do when we get to the village? I think we'll cause a panic if Sasuke is seen."

The captain gazed around them, looking at all of their faces. "Shikamaru calculated what time of the day we would get there. It's best if we come from the south gate, since that part of town is farthest away from the market places and such. We head directly to the Hokage Tower, as discretely as possible. We explain our situation once we're there. Any more questions?"

There was only silent. Naruto dipped head down once to confirm their understanding. "Right then, we leave in one hour. Everyone rest up and get prepared."

After the meeting was adjourned, Naruto went straight to Hinata's room, where she was all dressed and ready to go. He almost rushed up to scoop her in his arms and lay her back down on the bed so that she could rest some more. But he knew Hinata didn't like being babied, especially by him.

"Hinata-chan, are you sure you're up for the travel?" He asked, the petite ninja turned to look at him and smiled.

"Naruto-kun, I know you're worried. But, can't grow up if you're always to spoil me." She touched his face. "I'll be fine, Naruto-kun."

Well, the captain simply melted like putty at her touch. He grinned in an embarrassed way and rubbed the back of his head with his hand sheepishly. "When we get back to the village, I think the first person we should see is your father?"

She giggled. "If you feel up to it. I'm sure you'll be tired by then. My father does want to meet you."

Naruto panicked. "He does! Why didn't you tell me before! What will I say! Damn it all, I need new clothes!" He wailed loudly, prancing around the room in a full fledged panic attack.

It was a few moments before Hinata could calm him down, reassuring him that the two of them would go shopping together. Of course, having an undeniable power of persuasion over him, the Hyuuga heiress was able to get him ready within the given hour.

The four male shinobis situated themselves around Sasuke, who was still bound by the hands tightly. Four chakra strings were attached to him. Sasuke was still silent. Sakura went ahead to scout and Hinata got ready to lead the rest of them home. Tenten always at one kunai ready-though she always denied that she was paranoid-and she gave Naruto the signal.

The ANBU team vanished with their captive back towards their home village. Their captive traveled easily with them, keeping pace with the four of them that held him. His chakra didn't flow as easily through his body and he couldn't get any chakra to his eyes for his Sharingan. His Chidori arm was constantly irritating, but he didn't complain. He should have asked for bandages to wrap it.

Naruto grinned back at Neji. "Hey, Hyuuga, Hinata-chan said that I could meet her father when we get there."

Neji growled and repressed the urge to unleash his Windstorm on the captain. "You're not getting anywhere near Hiashi-sama until I'm through with you."

Naruto stuck out his tongue childishly. "Is that how you speak to your captain? I can get you reprimanded for that, you know."

"You aren't going to be my captain as soon as this mission is over, _captain._" He leered at him.

Naruto continued his taunting. It was fun to aggravate the Hyuuga. "Hinata-chan and I were thinking about pink tuxedoes for you and me. What do you think? It could work right? We'd look absolutely _smashing_ in pink."

Sasuke had to let out a very small smirk at that. Hyuuga Neji in pink would be _highly _entertaining to see. People from all over would pay big money to see such a thing. Neji could only retort with a grunt of high contempt directed at the blonde ninja.

Shikamaru shook his head. "I don't know why people even bother with a wedding. It's troublesome."

Naruto almost tripped at his words. "Shikamaru, aren't you going have a wedding?"

He sighed. "I guess if I have to."

Lee laughed. "Ino-san will want a wedding."

The lazy looking jounin made a surprised choking noise at the taijutsu specialist's words. "Ino? Where did you get Ino from?"

Lee looked innocent. "I've seen you two on dates before, Shikamaru. Don't pretend you don't know anything. Sakura-san isn't the only that knows your secret." One of his round eyes winked.

Slouching back into his slack posture, Shikamaru looked sullen and bored, and heavily let out another sigh. He scratched his head. "I'm not even close to getting married. It's too troublesome right now."

Naruto nodded, for the first time serious and glanced at Neji, who looked straight back. "The pink tux was a joke."

"Keep on alert and don't talk to me." Neji snapped, his eyes narrowing. Naruto saluted him satirically.

The four men soon heard a familiar buzzing of their earpieces as Sakura's voice came in. "Some routine traps here and there, but nothing hostile. It should be sunset when we arrive at Konoha. Is Sasuke behaving himself?"

All four of them scowled at the prisoner between them. "Hell yeah, considering he has nowhere to run." Naruto growled through his teeth.

Hinata was heard giggling into the transmitter. "N-Neji-niisan, your f-fly is open."

Everyone besides the stoic Sasuke (who had no idea what was going on) and a furious Neji burst out laughing. The Hyuuga zipped up his pants, not showing any part of his disgruntlement.

Sasuke remained silent as the ANBU around him kept their good humor. It was a completely different atmosphere. And it slightly annoyed him that they were also so happy. Just slightly. To get away from his _slight_ irritation, he turned his thoughts to a certain pink haired jounin. Did he really kiss her? He felt his mouth curve into a miniscule despite himself at he recalled the softness of her lips. He hadn't gone any further than just pressing his lips against hers, but it stimulated a curious passion inside.

It was four hours later when Hinata exclaimed, "We're close!"

Indeed, they were close. Konoha's southern gate could be seen. All of them, excluding Sasuke, felt happy to be home. The Uchiha slowed his pace as if he wanted to delay the inevitable. But Neji roughly pushed him forward and the ANBU team quickly made their way towards the Hokage's office.

The guards posted looked strangely at the ANBU team's captive, but they were ushered quickly into the office. Naruto took of his fox mask, and the rest did the same. Sasuke was forced to kneel on the carpeted floor, and frankly speaking, he had not seen such luxury in a long time.

The regal form of the Godaime was made known when she stood from her chair, her light chestnut eyes flashing angrily at all of them, especially Naruto. He only returned her gaze without shrinking away.

"This was not your mission, Naruto." She seethed.

"I know, Tsunade." He said calmly.

"Then what the _hell_ is he doing here! Alive!" She shouted, slamming her hands down on her messy desk in fury. Nobody in the room stirred. Sakura knew her sensei was not in the best of moods. Everyone was impassive.

Naruto stepped forward professionally, just like an ANBU about make his report formally. "The mission was to isolate Uchiha Itachi and Uchiha Sasuke and eliminate them. Mission status: Failure. The ANBU captain, Uzumaki Naruto, failed to execute Uchiha Sasuke. Uchiha Itachi is dead. The team-"

Tsunade interrupted. "Why did you fail to execute Uchiha Sasuke?"

Naruto hesitated for only a second. "Emotional challenges, Godaime-sama."

"Why didn't one of the other shinobi in your team do it?"

"I do not know."

Tsunade sighed and walked around her desk, placing her feet directly in front of Sasuke. Grasping his chin firmly, she forced his face to face hers. She could see the resemblance between him and Itachi. He was handsome, but his eyes possessed a far away, distant look in them. "Uchiha Sasuke, do you realize that you are a traitor of the Leaf?"

"Yes."

_That's a simple enough answer_, she thought dully. "Have you betrayed any of our secrets to Orochimaru?"

"No."

_Another simple answer. Maybe he lacks in vocabulary. _"Do you know any of his plans?"

"No."

There was silence and the Hokage was getting just _slightly _pissed off. "I don't trust you. You were Orochimaru's prized possession. May I remind you that you are in the presence of all very elite jounin? I wouldn't lie to me if I were you."

A little emotion stirred in his obsidian eyes. His smooth, tenor voice was soft. "I am not his possession. I do not belong to anyone."

Tsunade's eyes flicked in ill humor. "Don't test me, boy." She spoke in a tone that matched his iciness. "Tell me what you know, and I might consider giving you a trial that you obviously don't deserve."

"Orochimaru didn't tell me anything. He merely used me."

The large breasted woman let go of his chin. "Is there anything you can tell me?"

Sasuke knew it wasn't the time to negotiate, but if he could bait her... "After I refused Orochimaru, he threatened me that he would kill me. If he knew I was here, he will come here for sure. The village just needs to let out the message so that you can predict his movements. They can prepare for his attack. Once he's here, I'll take care of him. He only wants to fight me."

She turned to look at the young man on his knees suspiciously. "You'll do all this in return for what?"

He turned to look at her and offered her his half smile. "A life…"

Her eyes grew large then narrowed considerably. "What do you think you've done to deserve such a thing?"

"Nothing, but I've never had one. I would like one now."

Tsunade seemed to be deep in thought. She regarded him carefully. "After this fight with Orochimaru is over, I will seal your chakra reserves until I see fit. Prove to me that I can trust you again. Then, you'll have your life."

She turned to the rest of them. "Naruto, don't think you did anyone a service by bring him here. Sasuke will have to stay in the prison cells until Orochimaru arrives."

Neji bowed curtly and spoke. "Hokage-sama, I've close some of the Uchiha's tenketsu. I should reopen them if we don't want him to pass out."

Sasuke felt little jolts of pain as the Hyuuga pressed his chakra holes opened with a harder-than-necessary pressure on them.

"You all are dismissed. I'm sure the mission must have taken a toll on you all. Oh, and Hinata, please see me in the morning. I'd like to talk to you." They were all about to leave after Sasuke was hauled off to cells. Sakura gave him a reassuring smile and nod. Tsunade made a careful mental note. "Sakura, I would like to see you now."

"Hai, Sensei." She closed the door after Naruto, who winked at her to give her his support.

Tsunade rounded her desk again and sat down on her chair, while she motioned for her pupil to take the chair across from her. Sakura did as she was told and she didn't like where this was going to go.

"Sakura, did you interfere at all with the execution?"

"No, Sensei, but I was one of the witnesses."

The elder woman nodded. "How is Sasuke? Psychologically?"

The medic raised her eyebrow. "He was quite overwhelmed with the fact that he killed Itachi. I saw him do it. He almost went insane." She paused, thinking.

"But?" The Godaime knew there was more to it than that. He didn't seem insane.

"I honestly don't know, Tsunade-sama. Sasuke just…seemed more open now that his brother is dead."

"I take it that that is a good thing?" She also countered the questioning eyebrow raise with her own.

"I believe it is, sensei. I…still love him."

_Ah, there it was._ _Damn, I'm good. I knew should have gone to the interrogating field._ "When he said that he wanted his life, do you think he was talking about a life…with you?"

Sakura blushed beet red. "I-I don't know."

Tsunade smiled warmly. "Sakura, it's all right. I hope he can prove to the village that he is going to be a shinobi that can be trusted."

The student got up. "Yes, I believe he will."

She walked out the door, her inner self thinking smugly, _If he doesn't, then I'll kill him myself. Hell yeah!

* * *

_

Neji walked Tenten home and arrived at the Hyuuga compound. Something small darted his way. A loud mew escaped Chopstick's throat as he crazily rubbed against the tired Hyuuga's ankles. A deep, amused chuckle tickled the air as Neji picked up the kitten with a smile on his face.

"You've certainly gotten bigger. What has Hanabi-sama been feeding you?"

"I've fed him milk and little rodents, that's what." A clearly annoyed voice said from the porch.

"Thank you for taking care of him, Hanabi-sama." He bowed half way.

He was surprised to see a grin on the younger female's face. "He's really cute. He helps me relax after training."

Neji gave her a polite smile as they both entered the house. He bid her good night and walked into his own room and set the purring kitten on his bed. "I'll go take a shower and come back. Stay here."

* * *

**Author's notes: **Ah, chapter 10 is finished with a cute ending, if I can say so myself. Neji and kittens make a good mix. I wouldn't mind being Chopsticks for a day...purrrr. ..dammit, I need to get a grip.T-T;; So, anyway, as I was saying... 

Sasuke did NOT get executed, and for many of you that is a great relief. (For me too!) I don't have the heart to kill offsuch major characters. Maybe now that I've gotten lots of things to write, I'll put more on Neji x Tenten, and Naruto x Hinata. I'm also including some hints of Shikamaru x Ino, if you like that coupling.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter, though it was kind of boring and uneventful. If you didn't like it, just let me suffer in struggling to write a better chapter. Well, keep up the reviews! That number beside the word "reviews" is close to reaching 200! Wow! I appriciate all of the comments/reminders to update, as well as the encouragement and support! Truly, I'm blessed with such cool reviewers. ;; yeah yeah, cheesiness is what I write best, so shut it. XD But I really mean everything! Thank you!


	11. Part XI

**Itonami: Late as usual! T-T Enjoy!**

Disclaimer: I do not know any part of Naruto.

* * *

Chapter 11 

Rumors spread like wild fire around Konoha in the morning about the newly arrived missing nin that the ANBU had captured. The name of the missing nin stirred the hearts of many young women, deep romantics whodreamed about falling in love with a dangerous criminal. Ino had only grimaced angrily as Sakura did not answer her door. Was something wrong?

Sakura was actually in a deep slumber, exhausted and tired from what she had to deal with the past few days. Getting captured by Itachi, entering his mind and seeing the horrible image of Sasuke, then meeting Sasuke and almost killing each other, their moments spent in the village, next Itachi's death, then finally, the near execution of Sasuke. Yes, she was just trying to sleep away all of her worries and fear in one day. Sakura did not even awake when the phone rang shrilly in her room. She had left everything to simply rest her body and mind.

Flashback-

_Ino looked at her with her angry, cerulean eyes. "When will you let him go? We don't know if he's even alive! Don't be foolish and keep tormenting yourself! I hate seeing you sulk all the time! He's not coming back, Sakura! He left us! Twice at that! He doesn't give a shit about Konoha or you!"_

_Her rampage was cut short by a harsh slap. Her sea foam green orbs flashed with tears. "How dare you, Ino." Her voice was trembling with anger. "You dare judge me? If Shikamaru left without a word, what would you do? Just move on like he was nothing? Maybe you're heartless to be like that, but I'm not. I will _not _be heartless like you—"_

_This time Ino broke in an outrage. "Heartless! You call me _heartless_! I cared about him as much as you did! I'm hurting as much as you are! He was my friend! I almost loved him, damn it! But face it, he didn't give a rat's ass about what we thought about him! He put his _stupid _revenge first, before his friends. Sakura, **you can't change what happened**!_ _It just did! It's not your fault! It's been too long! You can't keep going on like this!"_

_The pink haired chuunin looked away and grasped the sheets of her hospital bed. Her head pounded. "Let me think, Ino."_

_She sighed exasperatedly. "Sakura—"_

_"Please! Just…go." She said, squeezing her eyes shut and a lone tear slid down her face. Ino hesitated and left abruptly, leaving her alone in her hospital room. Upon opening her eyes, Sakura saw a kunai amongst her things on the floor. Reaching for it, she picked it up and stared at its glinting blade. _

_"Sakura-san?" A timid voice called out to her. She looked up while instantly dropping the weapon on the ground, making a piercing clanging sound. Lee flinched. He rushed to her and held her hand. He ignored her slight recoiling reaction when he made contact. _

_"What were you thinking? Don't tell me you were about to hurt yourself!" He exclaimed._

_Very suddenly, she burst into tears and rested her forehead on his strong shoulder, weeping and sobbing her heart out. He put his arms around her, as if he could protect her and shield her from all the dangers of the world. If he could, he would die to do so._

Another Flashback-

_Sakura lay on her side, drifting off to sleep after a long talk with Sasuke. He was next to her, his bare skin exposed to her warmth. She could hardly believe that the man next to her was Uchiha Sasuke. Maybe it was an imposter. Yes, maybe that was it. Or she was going delusional. Perhaps it was both. No, that wouldn't make sense, would it? It was either one or the other. It couldn't be both…_

_Her mental arguments were put to the stop when Sasuke brushed his hand against her cheek. Automatically, she shied away from it, just in case he was an imposter. She didn't want a fake Sasuke touching her so tenderly. But he soon grasped her hand underneath the blanket, and held on to it. His hand almost engulfed hers. They were severely calloused, but they had some certain, calming warmth to them that she couldn't shake. She loved it. _

_She was afraid to open her eyes, because her mind had played nasty tricks on her before, causing her to lay awake into the night. But the man beside her felt very real, almost too real and it occurred to her that it was inappropriate to be in a bed with a man that she had just met, but today could be an exception. Reality didn't exist in dreams, nor did its rules. _

_He shifted from his former position, startling her awake. He didn't let go of her hand. Sakura thought she could stay with him forever. She silently prayed for such an eternal moment. "Sasuke? What time is it?" she asked, sleepily, rubbing her eyes. _

_His voice was so sweet, so melodic to her ears. "It's only three in the morning. Go back to sleep." And she followed his instructions, lying back on her pillow to sleep. Suddenly, she was aware of his scent, a clean, soapy smell that was pleasant to the nose, and it was mixed in with a bit of the rugged outdoors. He could smell like a green forest right after a spring shower. Sakura breathed in much of it as she possible could, before her head started dizzying._

_"I'm going out to train, Sakura. I'll be back." His voice whispered gently in her ear. His warm breath tickled. _

_**-**End Flashback-

* * *

_

Sasuke lay by himself in a dark cell with two ANBU guards at the door. His chakra freely flowed through his body, leaving him refreshed. The cell bunk was quite uncomfortable, but he wasn't one to complain. It felt like a rock supporting his back. He was wide awake for he didn't dare sleep. The final moments of Itachi would haunt his dreams and Sasuke knew the mental strain in his mind would snap. To distract himself, he threw a pebble that he found on the ground in the air. _Up...down...up...down..._

Some part of the Uchiha wanted to know what was going on outside his little world. Did the Hokage announce that he had returned? What would they think of him now? What was Sakura doing just now? Sleeping, perhaps? Yes, she would be resting now. That was good. He was sure the kunoichi wasn't as restless as he was.

His fist clenched when his thoughts went to Orochimaru. He had tried to use him, only as his container and nothing more. The power promised only came from his own training. The curse seal was nothing more than the Sannin's way of control. When Sasuke found out that he was not going to achieve any more power than he had then, he had stormed out, trashing the entire lair out of anger. He felt helplessly betrayed, but he had known that his own power outmatched Orochimaru's.

"Is he awake?" A feminine voice asked one of the guards outside.

"We don't know. He's been quiet."

Sasuke sighed and rolled off the bed smoothly and landed on his feet. Upon straightening, he greeted his visitor. He gave her a half bow. "Hokage-sama…"

The Godaime looked at him sternly. "We have alerted the villages of your return. It won't be long before Orochimaru finds out."

He sensed there was something more to it than that. He looked at her expectantly. She continued. "Just to make sure you won't break open the cell and run away, I've decided that I will do a special type of containment jutsu. Go back to what you were doing and don't mind me."

She asked the ANBU guards to step out of the way and entered his cell started to proceed inking the walls with her writing brush. Sitting in the middle of his cell, she started to make a constant stream of seals and let out a steady amount of chakra. Sasuke, having nothing else to do, watched her. His eyes flickered when he noticed that her breathing was more labored than usual.

Then it dawned on him. "You're getting old."

Tsunade did not bother to answer and completed her containment jutsu. Her light, beige eyes glared at him, but he only stared at her frankly. "Your chakra is weaker than what I remember it being. You seem to have less stamina."

Her mouth twisted into a scornful smirk. "I guess you can say I'm past my prime."

"That's obvious."

Shescowled at him. "I will notify you when Orochimaru is spotted." With that, she left and Sasuke was left again in his cold cell. Lying back down, he couldn't feel a little helpless in his little cage. The ANBU outside his door took up their positions again. He felt a little irritated at himself for not breaking out, but something strong kept him from running away again. A new life awaited him…

* * *

Tenten entered the Hyuuga compound and found her way to Neji's training spot, stopping shortly to greet some of the family members. Neji was no where to be found. He was probably tired. Figuring out to try his room, she slid open the door carefully and quietly, and she saw Neji sleeping on white futons with a familiar dusty brown kitten from before curled up next to a muscular arm. His hand covered his eyes, as if it wasa shieldagainst the bright, latemorning sunlight streaming in. Other than the arm, the rest of body faced forward, relaxed and unmoving, besides the measured rise and fall of his chest…that was not completely covered by his blanket. 

Quickly lowering her gaze to the dark wooden floor in an embarrassment she never knew, she backed out to close the door, but she refused to blush. Tenten never blushed. Nothing would make her blush…not even Hyuuga Neji.

"You weren't going to come in?" A profound, baritone voice asked. There was a little hint of disappointment laced in it.

Tenten almost jumped ten feet in the air. Facing away from him, she tried to smile weakly. "Oh, Neji, you're awake. I-I just wanted to s-see if you were…um…awake…yeah…" She mumbled. Heat found its way to her cheeks, tinting them a slight red. Damn, she blushed.

Neji sat up, careful not to wake Chopsticks. He reached for a loose white shirt and tossed it on lazily. He stopped all movement. Carefully turning his head first to his left then to the right, his gaze stopped on the cat. He tugged out a black ribbon from the kitten's clutches. The Hyuuga tied his hair in his usual low ponytail and got to his feet.

In a flash, he suddenly had his arms around her waist from behind and he leaned down to whisper into her ear. "Did you miss me that much? It's quite early."

She shuddered pleasantly at his touch. "No, it's not early, and no, I did not miss you." She grunted."Are you feeling up to a spar?"

He raised his eyebrow though she couldn't see it. "A spar? You want to spar? That's new, Tenten."

She scowled. "I just feel like it, Neji. If you don't feel up to it, I can go ask Lee. He's been up since four in the morning. And you—" –she spun around in his arms to face his chest—"have been sleeping until now, and the time is almost noon. I thought you'd be up, but you were just having fun sleeping with your cat."

An amused chuckle met her ears. He gazed at her with his pallid eyes. "Jealous, Tenten?"

Tenten looked surprised and looked at him then at Chopsticks. "Jealous of what," She pointed to the sleeping animal, "the cat?"

The corners of Neji's mouth slipped into a smug smile. "The cat is merely temporarily occupying the place beside me, until I decide that a woman is going to replace him." His smile was faint, but Tenten could tell he was serious.

"Gee, how romantic, Neji. You're going to attract all the women to take the place of your cat." She said sarcastically.

He chuckled again and his eyes betrayed a look of desire. He leaned closer to her ear. "Actually, I was hoping to attract you." He reached inside the pocket of her pants and slipped something cool on her fourth finger. The ring was a beautiful white gold and it had two, tiny diamonds embedded in its glinting band.

Chocolate eyes shot wide open at the sight. He continued. "I've already asked Hiashi-sama. I asked him when he was going to the woods to meditate. He has said that I have chosen well." The Hyuuga tightened his hold around her slender waist. "Would you consider me? I want only you to take the place beside me."

She was speechless. Neji's eyes narrowed slightly. Upon opening her mouth, she whispered, "It would be my greatest honor."

Right then, Hyuuga Neji could have proclaimed to the world that he was truly the happiest man alive, but he only smiled, a smile that was reserved for Tenten, and Tenten only.

He felt like he had enough energy to survive Naruto's Rasengan a thousand times over, but he only embraced the woman in front of him, his comrade, his friend, his closest companion, trusted teammate, and now his future wife.

He felt like he was floating and that he could touch the sky, but instead, he raised her hand and kissed it, softly yet gracefully, in an innocent gesture that made her eyes shimmer with tears.

He could have wiped the tears away that trailed down her flawless cheeks, but he watched them being shed in happiness that he, and only he, had given her.

A purr eased them back into reality and they both looked down. Neji, rather annoyed that the brown cat had interrupted their moment, nudged him away with his foot. Tiny sharp teeth sank into his toe and a hiss escaped the angry kitten. Tenten reached down and cuddled it into her arms where it happily stayed. Chopstick's stormy gray eyes blinked up at her and mewed.

"What was his name? Sakura called him something."

The Hyuuga pondered on it. "Aa…I believe it was Chopsticks."

The weapon specialist wiped her face dry. "So, you're Chopsticks. I'm afraid you aren't going to be sleeping with Neji in a short while." The cat stopped his purring. She winked at it. "But don't worry, you'll be sleeping with me. Now let's get you fed."

Neji smirked as he turned back to his room and proceeded to take off the shirt. Tenten gasped. "Neji, what are you doing?"

He looked over his shoulder at her casually. "I'm changing my clothes. I'd rather not spar in my sleeping clothes. You can stay…if you'd like."

His fiancé boldly sat on his futon while playing with Chopsticks as he changed. His attire was his black jounin pants and a tan collarless shirt, without the jounin vest. He only wore it on minor mission such as a class B or A. The ANBU required a completely different outfit.

Letting the kitten trot along side her ankles, Tenten followed Neji out to the Hyuuga private training area. It was one of two places where they would train. Tenten flicked out a kunai aimed at her fiancé's head, and he easily caught it and began twirling it around his finger.

"Just because we're getting married doesn't mean that I'll go easy on you, Neji."

He smirked. "I didn't expect you to."

Meanwhile, Hinata was on her knees while she waited nervously for the results of Naruto's talk with her father. They were conversing in low, conservative voices and she couldn't bring herself to eavesdrop on them. Her hands played with each other busily. She couldn't stop. It irritated her. An uncharacteristic frown creased her round, porcelain face.

"I wish you the best of luck to you, Naruto-san." Her father's voice could be heard through the thin rice paper walls.

"Thank you, Hyuuga-san." Naruto exited the room and found his way to Hinata.

She got up quickly to her feet and her expression on her face clearly asked, 'what happened?' Naruto's smile eased onto his face and nodded vigorously. "Not yet, Hinata. I'm not worthy, yet. Don't worry, I'll prove myself."

Hinata didn't dare doubt even for a moment and her confidence soared higher when Naruto declared, "It's a promise of a lifetime!"

* * *

Sakura woke with a start. Her green eyes snapped open and her body was rigidly pressed against the bed, her blanket kicked off and splayed on the floor. Scrambling out of bed, she grabbed kunai and held it in a defensive position. 

"Sakura, it's just me!" Ino said, opening door.

The medic nin relaxed and tiredly sat on the edge of her mattress. "Ino, you scared me."

"You have excellent reflexes, by the way." Ino commented wryly. "It's two in the afternoon, sleepy-head. I had to break open your lock to get in. I thought something happened to you."

Sighing, Sakura looked at Ino. "You've heard about Sasuke, haven't you?"

The blonde haired chuunin snorted. "Of course, why do you think I had to barge in here like this to have my throat cut open by an ANBU medic?"

"I don't know what happened, Ino, and you know I'm at a strict liability to not discuss what happened on the mission."

The blonde nodded. "What did he say? Are you ok? What will happen to him?" Her questions spilled from her mouth before she could stop it.

Sakura looked solemn. "Sasuke is going to fight Orochimaru. He said that he was going to defeat Orochimaru in exchange for a life."

Ino looked shocked. "What are you going to do?"

The pink haired woman smiled weakly and looked pointedly into blue eyes. "I will be here for him…always."

"Is that what you promised him? Even when he's the most dangerous criminal that threatens Konoha's existence?" She asked quietly.

Sakura shook her head. "I won't argue with you today, Ino, and Iwant youto leave if you're going to criticize a man you hardly know."

"Do _you_ know him?"

The question was left for Sakura to ponder. Ino had left. Sakura plopped back down on the bed and stared at the ceiling pointlessly. Letting out a big sigh, she wondered if she was too harsh on Ino. _But she deserved it, _her thoughts said angrily, _because she was judging Sasuke like she knew everything about him. _But then a softer voice told her that her friend may be a boisterous woman, but she was only looking out for Sakura's well being. Ino had been the one to sit beside her whenever she came back from missions and they had completely forgotten their silly competition, returning to being the best of friends.

They now were always meeting each other for lunch and dinner, having slumber parties at one of their houses, taking turns as hosts, and telling each other every one of their secrets. It was a year ago when Ino had told her of her new crush on Shikamaru. Sakura was their matchmaker, not that Ino had needed one since her boldness always got her ways accomplished. Even now, when it came to Sasuke, it always managed to break them apart; Ino still angry that Sasuke left Sakura and Konoha, and Sakura still depressed over Sasuke's betrayal.

The tired, pink haired woman sat and made up her weary mind to call Ino and apologize. Maybe she could take her out to dinner if she wasn't busy with Shikamaru…

Her thoughts slowly swam to Sasuke. She wanted to see him and see how he was, whether he was feeling ill or if his injuries had healed well. Sakura also wondered what the ex-missing nin had meant by wanting a life. It puzzled her, and it proved to be so when she got an enormous headache from thinking about it.

In the evening, she decided to take a long (a very long one, mind you) bath to feel a little bit more like woman, she turned on the water and waited for the tub to fill up. Sakura scooped up her kunai and placed it on the ledge of her bathtub, then removed her soiled, sweaty clothing. Sinking into the bath, she sighed contently as she reached for soap to wash her body.

"What do you want?" She asked calmly, while gracefully rubbing the bar of soap across her arm.

A dark figure hid into the shadows away from the light of her bathroom. It seemed to smirk. "You are an excellent kunoichi, Haruno Sakura," it chuckled quietly. "Of course, you are the apprentice of Tsunade. Your reputation spreads far, little kunoichi, even as far as my ears where I'm secluded. Ever since Sasuke-kun left, I've been very bored. Now, I've found him again…and his little flower."

Orochimaru stepped in through the doorway, revealing long, flowing ebony hair and amber eyes, like a snake's. His thin lips were curved into a sneering smile at her. His pale skin was a complete contrast to his hair.

Sakura reached for her towel and wrapped it around her body. Her eyes traveled past the sannin's shoulder. He turned around and reached for her robe. Tossing it to her, she put it on and tied the sash firmly around her waist. At lightning speed, she grabbed her kunai and jumped at Orochimaru.

He neatly step-sided and she flew out of her bathroom, out of her apartment, and the building, darting quickly to the Hokage Tower. It was an emergency.

Orochimaru had arrived. The village needed to be awakened! The war began.

* * *

**Author's notes: **I know I'm late and this time, I can't blame it on school, but on my laziness. I had a writer's block and didn't feel like dealing with it. So, I just stopped, until I read your reviews and decided that I needed to keep going. 

Neji and Tenten are getting married. -.-;; I'm not sure if you all will like that, but...that's ok.

As for Naruto and Hinata, they are going to get married as soon as Naruto becomes Hokage. That is how he wants to prove himself to Hinata. He knows it's not necessary, but he feels like he needs to do it…I guess.

So, Sakura has gone back to her eternal devotion to Sasuke, but don't think it's going to be like that forever. Her love for the ex-missing nin will be put to the ultimate test! Please stay with me on this! This chapter was kind of an intermission. It's just a poor attempt by me to bridge the capture of Sasuke and Orochimaru's war together.

Even though it sucked like none other, please review to give me just a little word of encouragement! T-T Please! I beg you! I'm sorry for being late!


	12. Part XII

**Itonami:** Updated! Chapter 12! Hope you like this one! More action and some sweet, cute fluff, too.

Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Naruto.

* * *

Chapter 12

"Tsunade-sensei!" Haruno Sakura burst in through the door, where the Godaime—much to Sakura's relief—was hastily scribbling notes rather than sleeping. Her teacher looked up startled, first by her shout, then by her appearance. By the looks of it, she was only wearing a bathrobe, and nothing more. Her hair had been wildly blown dry due to her race to get to Tsunade as fast as she could.

"Sakura, what are you doing…up?" She asked hesitantly, a light eyebrow traveling upwards.

The pupil was trying to speak through gulping in air. "Orochimaru! He's here!"

Tsunade's eyes narrowed. "Already? We dispatched the message about six hours ago."

Sakura nodded so hard that the elder woman feared her neck could snap. "He was at my apartment. He came in when I was taking a bath—which is why I'm so inappropriately dressed—and told me that he found Sasuke and me, too. I came as soon as I could."

The Godaime stood abruptly. Her eyes flashed and hardened into an expression that Sakura had only seen a couple of times. "Sakura, alert the ANBU. Get Naruto and Hyuuga in here now. I'll go see to Sasuke. Go."

Sakura bowed hurriedly and sped out of the office, doing a summoning jutsu as she went. It was an emergency jutsu created for the ANBU in case of trouble at an unexpected time. This was a perfect time to use it. The Konoha ANBU tattoo on their arms burned and glowed orange like fire. It meant for an all out assemble. In a few minutes time, almost every single ANBU ninja had gathered at the door of the Hokage Tower. Sakura was waiting to debrief them.

Seeking out Naruto and Neji first, she sent them up to Tsunade, and they went without question. She announced Orochimaru's arrival. Defense preparations needed to be made. Shikamaru took charge of tactics, and Sakura gathered all of the medic nins and explained what they needed to do as a group.

Naruto and Neji entered the office calmly, although Naruto was as jittery as a squirrel. They saw Sasuke sitting on a chair across from Tsunade's desk, while the Hokage herself was pacing anxiously. She faced them.

"This is war, and it is official. I need you to take charge of the defenses. It won't be easy. Shikamaru should be here shortly to explain the plans."

As if on cue, the lazy ninja strolled in, completely unfazed by the fact that Konoha was starting a war. It mildly disturbed everyone in the room besides Sasuke.

"Hokage-sama, basically, we're going to leave Sasuke do his thing. Every able bodied shinobi will keep on guard for Orochimaru's reinforcements. I've put ANBU at crucial parts of the village. The perimeter is secure so far. No hostility. Orochimaru hasn't been spotted yet."

Sasuke got to his feet and walked to the door. He stopped when Tsunade called after him. "We had a deal, Sasuke. Don't forget it."

Raising his hand in acknowledgement as he continued walking, Sasuke vanished into the night.

Tsunade turned back to the two ANBUs standing at attention. She gazed at them and sat down at her desk. "Shikamaru, why don't you go ahead with the battle plans?" She inclined her head to give him permission to continue.

"Alright, Hinata spotted a large group of enemy shinobi coming from the west side. It seems that that side is the only place they're going to be attacking. Naruto, you lead one group of twenty five, and Neji you lead another of twenty three. Sakura has her medic ninjas posted nearby. She herself will be where Orochimaru will be. We already have an ambush team waiting, led by Hatake Kakashi. Asuma, Kurenai, and Gai are all there. Don't worry about Orochimaru, just worry about the people that you need to fight. If they get anywhere near the Hokage Tower, Hokage-sama will be there to personally greet them. Got it? I suggest we get started. Take your men and go. I'll be here with a tactics team."

The two jounins nodded curtly and formally, and they quickly went out of the room.

Naruto suddenly grinned at Neji. "You are coming to the wedding, right?"

Neji grunted. "If I have to, Uzumaki. I heard that Hiashi-sama already allowed it, but you're going to wait."

The blonde ninja gave the Hyuuga a toothy smile. "That's right. I also saw that shiny new ring on Tenten's fourth finger? You propose?"

The elder of the two actually smiled. "It was the right time."

"Damn right. It took you way too long. So, when's the wedding going to be?" They were jumping from roof to roof quickly to the west side of the village.

"Tenten wants it to be in the spring. Something about being it the prettiest season. I myself prefer the fall, but it is her wedding." He said, his voice less cold.

Naruto laughed out loud. "Women sure are like that. I'm sure Hinata would like it to be in the summer. That's her favorite season. Sakura would like it in the late spring. The sakura trees are in full bloom then."

The two men arrived to their teams. Neji smirked at Tenten being one of his team members. She grinned back. His face hardened when his Byakugan activated. He saw the dark shadows in the night, sneaking their way through the forest that surrounded them.

Kabuto led a large group of his master's followers past the guards. Easily noticeable, Naruto and Neji launched the planned countermeasure. Naruto's team surrounded the enemy nins from behind while Neji's took them head on. Each one engaged an opponent, some easily defeated, and other not so easily beaten.

Naruto had no problem with any of them and kicked ass until he saw Kabuto killing two of his teammates with deadly precision. Rage charged through his veins as he remembered how Kabuto had deceived them and how much he had hurt Tsunade before, when he had first met her. Kabuto was going to die.

"Kabuto-san! Long time no see!" Naruto shouted good-naturedly, but his eyes were a demonic red and they glinted with the desire to see blood fly.

The jounin level enemy nin smiled at him. The same smile that had fooled Team 7 into believing he was one of the good guys. It made the blonde ninja's blood boil. In a speed that only Lee and Neji could rival, he had Kabuto by the throat with his left hand. The impact knocked Kabuto's glasses askew. Blue and white chakra swirled madly and created a compact little ball in Naruto's right palm. Without mercy, Naruto slammed it into Orochimaru's most loyal follower. It burned a gaping hole in his brief opponent's stomach. It was an appalling sight. Blood oozed from Kabuto's mouth as Naruto let the neck go, causing the mutilated body to crumple to the ground like discarded silk.

"That was for that Tsunade." He snarled.

Neji was currently spinning like mad in his Kaiten, deflecting the raining senbons. Tenten was nearby, steadily keeping her eye on her fiancé's blind spot. These ninjas weren't that extensively educated, but it didn't hurt to be on the safe side. Besides, if he died, who was she going to marry, right?

Tenten suddenly saw him barreling into her, knocking her away some few feet and they both tumbled on the grass. Her ears caught a swooshing sound and she turned her head to see that four jagged pieces of wood were embedded where she had been standing.

"Pay attention, Tenten!" Neji snapped angrily, his pearl white orbs glinting. "You could have been killed! What were you thinking!" He hissed at her.

Taken slightly aback by his harsh tone, she stared at him. "It won't happen again, Neji. I'm sorry." She said, her eyes meeting his, trying to tell him that she didn't mean for him to get so worried.

Neji stood her up on her feet again, brushing away some leaves from her hair and clothes. "Don't underestimate them and let down your guard."

Tenten nodded. "I was looking out for your blind spot." She felt stupid and airheaded like a little schoolgirl. Kami, she _hated _schoolgirls.

He looked surprised. "Is that so? You've been doing a nice job, kunoichi." A faint smile crossed his face before disappearing. "Don't tell them my secret." He pressed a long, slender finger to his smiling lips. _This day is sure full of surprises, _Tenten thought, _because I have never seen Hyuuga Neji do a gesture even remotely close to what he did just now. Maybe the proposal got to his head…I hope he doesn't lose his mind. That will be the end of me. Hyuuga Neji without his mind…what an awful thought…_

Naruto saw Hinata and Ino taking on a bulky looking opponent. They seem to be taking care of it well. With Kabuto gone, the enemy nins did not seem to be functioning efficiently. They were almost down to the last ones remaining. Hinata slid into the Hyuugas' famous Gentle Fist and began punching the ninja with blurring speed. It could never be as fast as her cousin's, but it was good enough that got her to be a worthy contender for the jounin exams next year. The enemy fell like a sack of potatoes. Ino pointed to the approaching Naruto.

"Hinata-chan! Ino!" Naruto waved his hand above his head as he walked to them. The Hyuuga heiress ran to greet him.

"Naruto-kun, are you hurt anywhere? I have medicine in my pack." She said, scanning him carefully for injuries. He gave her a thumbs up.

"Not a single scratch. I am the great Uzumaki Naruto, aren't I?" He spread his arms wide and winked at her, making her blush again.

"Oh, geez, Naruto. Give me a break. You'll never get over yourself, will you?" Ino teased. "Hey, have you seen Shinkamaru?"

He jabbed a thumb towards the building behind his shoulder. "Hokage Tower. He's helping Tsunade."

The blonde woman looked relieved. "Alright, that's good."

Sudden, unfriendly laughter erupted around the surviving Konoha shinobis. Everyone immediately put up their guards, looking around them for the source of the laughter. Naruto's eyes darted to the left and instinctively put his arms around both women in a protective way. Veins bulged around Hinata's Byakugan.

"What do you see?" Naruto whispered into her ear.

"A man with grayish hair. Tied up in a ponytail. Wearing glasses of some sort. I don't recognize him." She whispered back.

"I do." He growled, his blue eyes tinted red. He scanned the area under the tree where he had supposedly killed Kabuto. The corpse was now a pile of dirt. "Damn," he breathed, "everything was a phony. Who has this much chakra to create an entire army out of dirt? This jutsu…is powerful. No one knew it was all a fake."

Sure enough, the dead bodies around them were all a piles of liquid dirt. Sounds of surprise and curses flew in the air. Neji had Tenten pressed to his side, the Byakugan ready and looking beyond the Konoha boundaries. Dark, shadowy ninjas had encircled all of them. They were completely trapped. There was no way out. It was going to be a fight to the finish. Konoha had lost only two and five were severely injured to the point where they couldn't fight. That left them with forty three nins that were able to fight. Forty three against…perhaps a thousand or so? Where had they all come from?

"Tenten, be ready."

Tenten nodded firmly and held up three kunais in her left hand, while she held up four shuriken in her right. She wasn't tired. With Neji by her side, she could fight until he gave up. That was never.

"Oh, and Tenten?"

"Mm?" She had her eyes out for the incoming enemy.

"I was thinking about getting another cat…a female one. Perhaps Chopsticks would like some company." He saw two shinobi dashing their way.

Tenten twirled to kick one in the stomach, knocking him out. "Would your uncle like that?"

"I don't believe Hiashi-sama would mind." He paused to shut down an opponent's nervous system. "Would it bother you?"

She was caught in a weapon battle. Blocking an incoming attack with a kodachi, she pushed the ninja away and threw three shuriken that buried deep in the flesh. "I would love them around. When are you planning to get one?"

Neji didn't answer because a very fast ninja circled around them in a blur, foolishly forgetting about Neji's Byakugan. Seeing the precise time where the moronic opponent crossed in front of him, the Hyuuga mercilessly battered him with his Jyuken. He stepped back after he finished and turned to the weapon master. "You'll see."

Hyuuga Neji looked quite fierce in his ANBU uniform with his piercing white eyes. Tenten looked equally fierce with a hint of grace and feminine beauty in it. Together, they fought side by side, taking on new enemies and challenges. They made an insuperable team. Neji made up for her lack of hand to hand combat skills (although they are strong, she prefers long range combat), and Tenten covered his weak spot with unshakeable aggression and a protective passion. It was easy to see the pair being married; they protected each other to no end.

But Orochimaru's forces kept coming wave after wave after wave, wearing down the now thirty some Konoha nins. Naruto bore many cuts and bruises, Hinata supported a thin, deep gash along her shoulder, Neji was now marred with two major wounds in his thigh and arm, Tenten's hair was coming undone and she was also hurt in many minor ways. Some of the others were not so fortunate. Blood covered the ground, mutilated and reasonably intact corpses were strewn all over the battlefield. Thirty minutes passed. Nine remained on Naruto's team, and eleven remained alive on Neji's team. All together, it was twenty two against _thousands_.

"Orochimaru-sama is undefeatable." A quiet voice said not too far away. Kabuto was leaning against the tree.

"Oh yea? Says who?" Naruto challenged angrily.

"I have thousands more, no, _tens of thousands _more than what you all can take." The gray haired Sound nin pushed his spectacles further up the bridge of his nose.

"No one can have chakra reserves that big. You bluff."

"I can tell you that you misunderstand, Naruto-kun." Kabuto lifted his head to meet each of their eyes. "It's not about purely based on chakra, isn't that right, Hyuuga Neji-san?"

Neji's eyes narrowed at the address to his name. "He's right. I don't detect a lot of chakra in these fake bodies." He kicked a dead one and it instantly turned into dust. He scowled and looked up. "You control these puppets with this little chakra in them? You must have very skilled chakra control."

"Bingo." Kabuto smiled pleasantly. "Control was the word I was looking for. But it would be impossible to do this kind of feat with only control and chakra."

"You would need a jutsu." Naruto voiced, half in disbelief and half in fury.

"Now you're catching on, Naruto-kun. You're not that stupid boy that I met some time ago anymore. I have to say that I'm impressed."

"Cut the crap, Kabuto. What the hell is going on here?" The blonde ninja snapped.

The elder man's eyes looked left to right and then back to them again. "I'll let you all figure it out."

* * *

Sasuke sprinted down to where he felt the snake sannin's chakra waiting for him. It was located just inside the Konoha main entrance gates. He arrived, sensing multiple chakras surrounding them, but he hardly cared. He stood facing the one obstacle that blocked his way of reaching a life that he was deprived of since the Uchiha Massacre. He desired that life so much so that he would shed blood to obtain it. Now it came down to former teacher and student.

Orochimaru smiled with a sickening sweetness. "Sasuke-kun, you have come." His pose was relaxed and loose as if he was just on a morning stroll.

"Let's not get reacquainted, Orochimaru. I came here to kill you." His eyes turned bloody red, and three black blades swirled around his pupils.

The sannin was undisturbed by Sasuke's words. "News travels fast, doesn't it, Sasuke-kun? I heard you begged for another life…with your sweet cherry blossom, I presume? In fact," his voice dropped seductively, "since it is her that you want, if you come back with me, I'll give her to you."

"She means nothing to me, Orochimaru. I don't know what you're talking about." He scoffed icily. "I wanted a life so I could spend the rest of it in peace. I don't want someone as annoying as her bothering me." Sasuke shifted his feet. No emotion was betrayed on his pale, moonlit face.

"Well, that is just too bad. I believe you've just hurt Sakura-chan's feelings. Ne, Sakura-chan? Didn't your Sasuke-kun hurt your feelings?" Orochimaru cooed mockingly and turned his head upwards to his left, and the Uchiha followed the gaze to a petite ANBU with pale pink hair that blew in the wind. Her face was covered by a bear mask.

He felt a small jolt but remained impassive. Sasuke turned back to his ex-sensei. "And?"

Orochimaru chuckled mirthlessly, as if amused by his indifferent attitude. "My, my, Sasuke-kun. You won't have much of a life without a woman."

The Uchiha's brows drew together. "You're the one to talk."

This time, the sannin's laughed. "I've had my share of women and defenseless kunoichis, Sasuke-kun. Don't worry."

Sasuke's mask of impassiveness contracted slightly into one of disgust. "I suggest we fight, sensei. Death awaits you, life awaits me."

In exactly one second, Sasuke launched into the offensive. But instead of dodging, Orochimaru's neck extended out, long fangs bared, ready to strike. Sasuke knew the technique all too well. Smirking, he flitted in and out of view at impressive speeds, but the sannin was going for another target. The ex-missing nin spun in his tracks to see Orochimaru's head shooting for the figure on the rooftop of a building. He could only watch as Sakura jumped out of the way, only to have the snake like neck chase her from behind. Orochimaru's body followed.

Sakura pushed off a wall and darted towards the inner part of the city. A few short whistles signaled the nearby elite jounins. Kakashi stood front and center, his forehead protector lifted up to reveal his one-eyed Sharingan. Gai stood with his student, Lee, and they both had very serious looks on their faces.

Sasuke tracked Orochimaru and Sakura. He couldn't let another person kill Orochimaru. He needed to keep his end of the bargain. If he didn't, then the other half would be gone. He saw them in the distance. He saw the Konoha shinobi lined up horizontally, blocking further entrance into the village. Perfect chance. He didn't care if he fought in a dishonorable way. It would be finished tonight. Jumping high into the air, he took out several kunai and was about to fling them in his sensei's direction, his Sharingan detected other movement.

In a blur of hand seals and a scroll, a giant anaconda appeared, vivacious yellow eyes glaring down at the shocked jounins. "What did you call me here for…ssss?" the snake hissed softly, eyes traveling up to where Orochimaru stood on its head.

"Sasuke-kun is back."

"That bratssss? Where issss he?" Manda hissed again, his great head sweeping back and forth, looking for the said "brat."

"Yo." Sasuke said coolly, seemingly coming out of nowhere, his gaze lazy and he raised an arm in greeting. To everyone's surprise, the great snake seemed to smile.

"Ssssasuke-kun, you haven't ssssummoned me in a while. Brat, I can kill you…ssss."

The young ninja chuckled. "You haven't changed, Manda. I didn't need you for awhile. Orochimaru was bothering me."

A very loud hiss followed. "Orochimaru, you dare stand up to Ssssasuke-kun? He issss more wortthhhy than you are. I warned you…ssss."

"I apologize, Manda. I—"

"Manda-ssssama!" The anaconda snapped, insulted by the lack of respect.

The sannin looked peeved. "I want you to kill all of those Leaf ninjas. _All of them._"

Sasuke interrupted. "That won't be necessary, Manda. I will kill them all later. If you want something to kill, then kill Orochimaru. He tried to take away my woman."

Manda's eyes widened at the words then grew small into dangerous slits. If the snake had a weak spot, it was women or anything female being taken away by another male unwillingly (The snake had told Sasuke the story about his mate being taken by another male. Of course, as expected, that other male died in a very agonizing way). "You have a woman…ssss?" He hissed, the golden eyes searching.

Sasuke shoved his hands in his pockets and then looked up, a playful half smile on his face. "Her name is Sakura."

"Ssssakura…a pretty name. Perhapssss I will name one of my children that…sss." The summoned beast mused. He glared up at a shocked looking sannin. "Orochimaru, I've known for a long time that you take femalessss for fun. I've let it go. Now, it'ssss time you pay…ssss."

In a bucking motion of the head, enormous jaws opened and snapped shut then opened again, sharp fangs revealed to their full lengths. Manda tried to eat the person that had summoned him. Sasuke looked back amused.

"Actually, Manda, I'll kill him for you." The snake stopped his thrashing and peered down at the Uchiha. "I'll do it. After all, he's not worth your time."

The anaconda looked pleased at the compliment. He loved flattery, something that Orochimaru had yet to learn. Sasuke knew all of different ways to push the snake's buttons so that he could get his way without getting killed. "Ssssasuke-kun, how conssssiderate of you. Summon me if you need anytthhhing." The snake bowed low and then disappeared in a large poof of smoke.

Silence prevailed for a short while.

Orochimaru broke it by clapping sarcastically with a wicked sneer plastered on his pale face. "What wonderful acting, Sasuke-kun. Creative way to use Sakura in your play. Simply brilliant, but I can tell you that there is more to come. It was a fatal mistake sending Manda back. Now you'll really die. It seems that I will have to get another container. A rebellious one such as you won't do."

Sasuke mocked him as he made a couple of seals with his hands. "Only one will remain standing tonight."

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**Author's notes: **A fast update, ne? It was so that I could pay you all back for being so late with the previous chapter.

Neji will get another cat. That's going to be cute. I love Neji x Tenten. Why? 'Cause they are absolutely perfect for each other. I'm happy that they're getting married. Well, it is my story…but that is not the point (allow me some room to compliment myself, b/c I have low self-esteem… XD)

Kabuto and his stupid jutsu…why am I so _bad _at making jutsus! ;; I will never understand myself.

Sasuke and Manda…hmm…no comment. Sasuke has good acting skills, doesn't he? Very impressive.

One reviewer expressed some concern over the Sasuke x Sakura pairing. Yes, it is very definite that it is going to be a SasuSaku, but there should be more conflict between them. It makes the story more interesting. It would be a complete bore if she just went to him like she was when she was twelve (did you forget that she doesn't want to be that weak twelve year old girl anymore?) and Sasuke welcomes her with open arms and tears in his eyes. Remember, he'd been training with Orochi-sama, and then run away to be all alone. Now he just killed his brother. I think somewhere in his brain, he's just automatically pushing people from him. He trained his _mind, _not physically, but psychologically to reject affection and love. It doesn't take just one, totally devoted love to correct such thinking. He needs time and needs to understand Sakura for a moment. He's starting to, as I have hinted in the previous chapters, but…If I talk too much, I'll give the rest of the storyline away. Just read. You'll get it.

Sorry for the long ramble. If you've read this far, I congratulate you. Thanks for all of your reviews! Love reading them! Thank you!


	13. Part XIII

**Itonami: **Well, finally chapter 13 is up. Sorry for the long wait! I hope this is good. It was a painstaking process to write this one. Lots of obstacles. Wasn't cool. And I was sick with a stomach virus for three days. That wasn't cool either. Anyway, enjoy! And review! Lots of fragments in this paragraph. I should go back to grammar school.

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Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Naruto.

Chapter 13

Konoha jounins were lined up, all of them tense and watching the stalled battle to the death before them. Kakashi stood near Sakura, who was standing firmly with her feet planted solidly on the ground. Her face mask hid her expressions but the former teacher could tell that she was nervous.

"Nice to see you confident." Kakashi said coolly, reaching up to slide his forehead protector over his Sharingan.

Sakura lightly jumped at being addressed. "Oh, Kakashi-senpai…" Something in her voice shook with uncertainty. "Confident isn't the word I'd describe myself right now."

He put a hand on her shoulder and sighed. "Sasuke's changed, hasn't he?" He did not mention the stories of the atrocities that the Uchiha had committed ever since he had joined Orochimaru. They were awful enough even when written in boring, formal reports. Sakura still had no idea who Uchiha Sasuke was. It was better to keep it that way.

"Sasuke…he's been pretty bad, huh?" She said softly.

The medic-nin's former sensei would have sweatdropped if it hadn't been such a serious situation. "Why do you say that?"

"Ever since I met him," Sakura began, looking up at the taller man, "it was clear that he was lost. Lost to the world, and himself. Maybe all this time, it was pity that drove me to love him."

"Sakura, you know it's not true." Kakashi's eye sagged sadly. "Don't tell yourself that."

The medic nin shook her head. "I've been fooling myself all along. No matter what, I'm still that annoying twelve year old girl to him. I'm still that pathetic chuunin that begged for his return. That's all I am. His new life when he defeats Orochimaru is going to be spent alone without irritating people like me."

The gray haired jounin sighed. _Sasuke, why can't you see? _

The wind blew past them, scattering various leaves across the dusty path. Sasuke and Orochimaru stood facing each other, the pair smirking at each other. Without another minute wasted, they charged at incredible velocities. Orochimaru made a seal while his forked tongue slithered out viciously. Sasuke was not in the least intimidated. Instead, he took out several shuriken from his pouch and launched them swiftly. One caught the sannin on the shoulder, but the experienced shinobi ignored the wound entirely.

"Sasuke-kun, I've got to ask, what brought on this change with Sakura-chan? The last time I heard, you were looking for the little kunoichi when she got captured by your brother."

Sasuke ignored the question. Kicking Orochimaru down, his hands made the seals for his Katon. Breathing in sharply, he concentrated hot chakra in his chest and spew out fire as he exhaled. The scorching fire grazed Orochimaru.

Unexpectedly, two shuriken whizzed out from behind, and Sasuke noticed too late. Trying to twist out of the way, he succeeded in dodging only one of them. The other flew and embedded its sharp blades into Sasuke's thigh. Not hesitating, he instantly considered the placement and depth of the weapon and jerked it out. Blood freely flowed from the wound. He discarded the offending weapon from him.

"I've realized that I had been blind. I owe Sakura my gratitude for her care, but I'm not going to fall for what she calls love." Sasuke stated bluntly as he turned to Orochimaru. But even as he said those words, he felt a jolt of guilt because Sakura was there. _It's better this way. _He convinced his conscience.

The sannin chuckled. "There's the Sasuke-kun I know. Love is for fools, Sasuke-kun. Hate is all you need. Resent the world and receive power." He said in a low voice.

Sasuke smirked. "You promised me power, Orochimaru. I never got it. Now I'll beat you with my own strength, without the curse seal."

Orochimaru laughed out loud, and then gazed at the Uchiha in a mocking way. "Is that so? You can't beat me without the curse seal…and the decision to fight with or without it is not up to you."

Sasuke's eyes were wide. "What are you talking about?" He snarled, as his hand automatically went to the three black comma-like shapes arranged in a circle on his neck.

"You're not the only that can control your curse seal, Sasuke-kun. I can activate it, also. Kabuto researched it for me."

Making one seal with his hand, Orochimaru started to chant something frightening, his deep, husky voice ringing in the air. Sasuke stood rigid, unable to move as a recognizable shudder spread throughout his body. The seal on his neck started to throb horribly, and he winced as he clutched the aching spot. The pain spread fast, sending white-hot sensations circulating his blood. Collapsing on one knee, a noise of severe pain escaped his mouth as he doubled over, still clutching desperately at the seal.

"I make all the shots, Sasuke-kun. You should have known better than to betray me. Now you belong nowhere, not with me and not with the Leaf. You are an S-class criminal on the run, joining with the _hated _Sound village for your own gain of power." Orochimaru glowered menacingly as the young Uchiha withered in pain, the orange curse seal marks dancing across his skin. "Now, I will kill you."

A hissing laughter echoed in the night. Orochimaru stopped. Sasuke was still on the ground, unmoving and hunched over, his forehead touching the ground. But it was certain that the laughter was coming from him. The soft chuckles grew louder as the last Uchiha survivor stood, his usual dark eyes now a deep amber and his pupils were like that of a snake's. They mirrored Orochimaru's own. His freakish looks were accented by the black marks on the left side of his body. His lips were contorted in a malicious smile, and he took a closer step towards the sannin.

"Is that so?" Sasuke's eyes narrowed accusingly, daring the snake-like man to attack.

Orochimaru did not understand what was happening. He could make the host of his curse seal die with his new jutsu. What was happening now? For now, he remained in his cool façade.

* * *

Naruto's team was engaged in a vicious battle again, the Konoha teams decimated to the mere tens. Kabuto was so heavily guarded by his creations that none of the jounins could lay a hand on him. Rock Lee joined the battle when he came back from his escort mission, but not even the Green Beast of Konoha could accomplish such a feat.

Frustrated and infuriated by the helplessness as he watched his comrades fall one by one, Naruto went into a mad frenzy. Making the famous shadow clones of himself, he launched them all into the offensive, aiding if necessary, but most of his forces going for the mastermind behind all of the chaos.

"Naruto, don't waste your chakra!" Neji barked from where he and Tenten were handling five nins. "We can't get to him. We need a plan!"

"Plan, my ass, Hyuuga! Unless we kill the source of the problem, we won't live to see daybreak!" Naruto shouted back, concentrating as he fought to multitask: protect Hinata-chan, help the others, and kill Kabuto.

"Damn it, Naruto, listen for once!" Ino shrieked enraged as she battled off a heavily bandaged man with two kunais. "Where's Shikamaru when you need him!"

"Right here, Ino." A lazy drawl came from behind them.

Shikamaru and his tactics force had come to be a part of the action. Immediately, they sprang into the fray, joining the fight. Shikamaru glanced around him and his eyes traveled to Kabuto and shook his head. Neji brought him up on what the advanced medic nin used, his strange jutsu that was able to create able-bodied nins from mere dirt, using less chakra than it took to wiggle a pinky. He frowned and studied Kabuto carefully and intensely.

"Naruto, by the looks of things, that guy is only making it troublesome for himself. This jutsu isn't perfect. It definitely has its drawbacks. He's completely defenseless without his chakra controlled creatures. While he's performing this jutsu constantly, he can't be on the offensive himself. We just need to find an opening. Get past the defense that he's set up, and we've got him. I suggest a weapon master to do this job. It'll be best for a long range attack."

Naruto nodded. "Oi, Tenten! You up for it?"

"Hai, captain!" She said cheerfully. Neji glanced at her, amused by her sprit.

"We need your best. We'll provide means of distraction and you'll just strike as fast as you can." The blonde grinned at the Hyuuga. "We'll give him a run for his money."

In a flash, Neji and Naruto were sprinting in opposite directions, executing a plan never rehearsed nor discussed. Upon instinct, the great ninjas clashed in and out, distracting the creatures perfectly while Tenten aim all of her weapons towards Kabuto. Whipping out two gigantic scrolls, she set them parallel to each other and perpendicular to the ground. Throwing them up, and going up with them, the scrolls unbound themselves and transforming into smoky dragons, they swirled around her body lavishly. "_Soushouryu! Rising Twin Dragons!" _She cried out, as she put forth a burst of swirling chakra. The scrolls became alive with weapons and they all hurled down like rain. _Success!_

But this was not so, when Kabuto gathered all of his chakra creations to take the blow for him. Neji saw the opening.

Apparently, Naruto did too.

The blonde haired ninja had launched himself straight at the enemy nin, his hand curled around a compact ball of blue chakra, the renown Rasengan. Kabuto noticed too late. The Rasengan slammed into Kabuto's chest, and the sound of flesh burning filled the air. The chakra creations all melted back into dust, and Kabuto coughed out blood.

"I have…failed Orochimaru-sama…" He gasped out, blood dripping from his mouth.

"That was for Sakura and Sasuke. Go to hell." Naruto snarled.

Neji felt a pair of arms wrap around his waist loosely. He looked down and saw Tenten smiling. "I did well, didn't I?"

He smirked. "Yes, Tenten, you did well."

Naruto gazed at the lifeless body of Kabuto indifferently. His face was splattered with blood. He never enjoyed killing, and this was no exception. "Damn…" He muttered, looking away.

"Naruto-kun, are you alright?"

Hinata put a gentle hand on his arm, and he smiled at her sadly. "I'm fine, Hinata-chan."

The few remaining shinobi picked up their dead and injured. Hinata, studying to be a medic nin, treated them as best she could, her special eyes surveying their internal damage efficiently.

"I wonder how Sasuke's holding up…" Naruto asked aloud to himself.

* * *

Uchiha Sasuke was currently standing precisely two feet from Orochimaru, the desire to kill in his eyes. His hands pulsed with the need to close them around the sannin's neck.

"You will never defeat me, Orochimaru."

Sasuke sprang from the ground, launching high into the night sky until he disappeared from view. Orochimaru, expecting the Uchiha to come back down, stood rather stupidly staring at the sky.

With speed that could rival the one of Yondaime himself, Sasuke appeared from behind, and dug three kunais into Orochimaru's back. He shrieked with pain while he wildly lashed out, only to hit air. Sasuke flipped backwards on his hands in a flash and then hit again, this time with his Katon. Fire became alive and it lit up the darkness. Soothing murderous feelings coursed through his veins and the Uchiha chuckled as Orochimaru managed to come out of the last attack with only minor burns.

The snake-like sannin didn't have time to react when he was kicked upwards into the air by the chin. Slipping in below silently with an arrogant smirk on his face, the last Uchiha struck with his left foot, but then Orochimaru moved to block it, ignoring the pain from the kunais stuck in his back. But then, Sasuke did the unexpected, a different version of his ShiShi Rendan, the famed Lion Combo. Instead of allowing him to block, Sasuke shoved the arm away and drove one of the kunais deeper, making another sear of agony shoot through the elder shinobi. Using the small stop of movement to advantage, Sasuke flipped and came on top of the flying body, driving the heel of his hand to the base of his neck to send both of them straight down towards the ground. Delivering a punch strong enough to send crimson blood flying from Orochimaru's mouth, Sasuke waited for the perfect moment to strike.

When they were an exact foot and a half off the ground, Uchiha Sasuke front flipped in the air and slammed his heel into the chest of the sannin. "_Shishi Rendan! Lion Combo!" _The impact sent the victim of his Rendan deep into the ground, the paved road breaking apart severely. The kunais pierced through even to the bone; blood sprayed everywhere.

Sasuke stood triumphant as Orochimaru struggled to get up from the ground.

Gasping for air and feebly clutching at nothing in the air, Orochimaru let out a hacking cough. "Sasuke-kun, you've grown…you countered my jutsu. I'm…impressed. That's why I chose you…in the first place. My…Sasuke-kun…"

"I was never yours, Orochimaru."

"Oh, but you were…even for the slightest moment…" The sannin gave a gurgling chuckle.

Almost leisurely, Sasuke applied slow pressure to Orochimaru's right hand with his foot. Orochimaru tried to struggle. "Your hands are your most prized processions, aren't they?" The same, haunting hiss of a chuckle escaped the Uchiha's throat. "That's a shame."

A cracking sound shot through the air, and the sannin gave a strangled noise. Another crack…then another. It was clear to the jounins and ANBU that Sasuke was breaking all of his fingers. Sakura grimaced at the cruelty.

Then Sasuke carefully stepped over the withering body of Orochimaru and started on the left hand. The index finger broke, bent over at a gruesome angle. He began the same slow, excruciating process on the middle.

A pink and gray blur sped in front of his eyes, an ANBU mask of a bear filled Sasuke's eyes. She stood stiffly before him. "He's dead. You can stop now."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed into dangerous slits. "Move, ANBU. I will do as I want."

Sakura pulled out a kunai and brought it to his neck. "Do as I say."

"Make me. I want to finish this." He roughly pushed her aside.

The medic nin crossed his path again, this time assertively and angrily. "Damn this, Sasuke! You aren't a monster!"

"What are you seeing now?" Sasuke gave her a scoff, and then sneered at her. "I am a monster. This is what I am, Haruno Sakura." He tugged the mask off swiftly and roughly grabbed her shin, looking into her green eyes. His voice was soft when he spoke again. "What you want to see doesn't exist."

Tears pooled and she heatedly wrenched her face from his hands. "I never wanted to see you."

Sasuke's eyes turned back into their fathomless black and he gazed at the stubborn kunoichi. "You shouldn't be so disappointed."

Sakura didn't give him a second glance and instead, she walked to where the rest of the Konohakagure shinobi were. Kakashi easily embraced and let her weep quietly into his jounin vest.

Sasuke was suddenly there, jealousy openly flaming inside of him as he grabbed her arm, only to have her cower further into Kakashi's arms. Something hurt him to see her like that. Kakashi calmly instructed the other jounins to check on Orochimaru's body. He then grasped her gently by the shoulders and winked his visible eye at her in an assuring way. He shot Sasuke a warning look and disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Sakura turned from him. "I don't have anything to say, Sasuke. I wouldn't want to annoy you." Her tone was bitter.

_So, she heard then._ "Sakura, I won't lie to you."

"Wonderful, then I can die happy now." She muttered.

Sasuke grew angry. "If you won't let me explain, then I guess I won't have to."

"No, I don't want you to explain that, because I get the message, Sasuke. Tell me what you did when you were Orochimaru."

It was there that he hesitated and looked away. "No."

The medic nin moved so that her face was fully in his sight. "I have a right to know!"

"What makes you think you have any right?" He growled, glaring at her.

"Because I was and still am your friend. Because I've gone for five years thinking where you were and how you were doing. Because I was the only one that believed you would come back. Because I have earned my right." She said, gritting her teeth.

"No, you have earned nothing."

"That's bull and you know it!" She shouted furiously, gripping his shirt.

He jerked away. "Do you have any _idea_ what I have done? With these hands?"

"Tell me!"

"Do you want to hear about my first assassination mission, where I killed his daughters while his eldest son tried to defend them with a corkscrew? Then how I shoved that thing in his voice box and let him try to scream for help? You want to hear about how his wife was killed first and let the man beg for his life as I let him bleed to death?

"Is that what you want to know? Is that what think you've earned the right to hear? Maybe you'd like to know about when Orochimaru ordered me to kill an innocent girl in the most painful way that I could. Do you want to know how I can hear her screaming in my sleep along with thousands of other sounds? Do you! _Is this what you want to know_! Answer me, damn it!" Sasuke shook her.

"Yes!" She screamed, tears pouring down her face. "That's what I wanted to know! I wanted nothing but share those nightmares with you! It's my right to know!"

"I have become a monster, Sakura." He said cruelly, each word becoming a knife in her heart, "I do not know how to love, only hate. Love is never option for me."

Silence prevailed. "I guess you're right, Sasuke. Maybe from the very start you were destined to become what you have become." Sakura said quietly.

There was no answer from the young man.

"Haruno-san, your mask…" A jounin tossed Sakura her ANBU mask.

She bowed in gratitude and then slowly walked away, leaving Sasuke behind in the night.

* * *

**Author's notes: **Well, the chapter is waaaay late, so I apologize. I think I dug myself a hole by making up Kabuto's jutsu. I didn't think out, so I agonized over it for awhile. I think it turned out pretty silly. T-T Oh well, life goes on.

Orochimaru and Kabuto are both dead. Whew. Now we can get to more of the romance more, I guess.

I am mostly likely writing an epilogue which contains three parts or so, about the future lives of Neji x Tenten, Naruto x Hinata, and Sasuke x Sakura. I'm excited to write these, but I shouldn't get too ahead of myself.

This story is going to be over very soon. Maybe another chapter then the epilogues… Thank you for your constant reviews! Wow, gotta love 'em. No, seriously. They're wonderful to read.


	14. Part XIV

**Itonami**: Chapter 14 is now up! Read and be content!

Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Naruto.

* * *

Chapter 14

Naruto gazed around the desert terrain then at his team. "Are we all ready to go?"

"Naruto, you forgot this." The Kazekage said, his deep voice quiet and mellow. He tossed a loose string-tie bag to the blonde jounin captain. "Take it to the Hokage. Our official peace offering and our alliance contract."

"Thanks, Gaara." He grinned at the sandy, red-haired man. He waved to a little girl behind Gaara's leg. "I'll see you later, love." He winked, making the girl blush. She tugged on her father's cloak.

"Oto-san, is Uzumaki-san going to be back?"

Gaara looked down with his usual expressionless face, but his voice was warm and kind. "Yes, Setsuai, Uzumaki-san will be back." He gazed at the retreating backs of the Konohakagure jounins.

"Oka-san! Oka-san! Oto-san said that Uzumaki-san will be back! Can I play with him when he does?" She asked eagerly to a fair woman who stood beside the doorway.

"Yes, Setsuai." She patted her daughter on the head. "Teishu, Kankuro-niisan would like to bring his wife and children for a dinner tonight."

Gaara turned around from the scene and his light jade eyes twinkled in the sun. He nodded. "Were you hurt anywhere, aisai?"

She smiled at what he called her. "You shouldn't worry so much. So, what about Kankuro-niisan?"

"What about Temari?" He asked, stepping into their house as she gestured him in. Setsuai clung onto his cloak. He never minded when she did that. But today, he opted to carrying her rather than feeling her tug on his clothes all day. Closing the door, the Kazekage prepared to eat dinner with his family.

* * *

Now, the twenty year old Haruno Sakura giggled at Naruto, who was tucking away the bag given to him into his pack. He stuck his tongue out at her. "What's so funny?"

"I think it was sweet that you called Gaara's daughter 'love.' She's an adorable child."

The four-man team, consisting of Naruto, Lee, Sakura, and Hinata, was returning to their own village. They were one their way back from their escort mission, which was to bring back the Kazekage's wife, a humble and a pretty young woman who met him when she had been caught in a crossfire of weapons. She was not a ninja, and her life would have ended there, but she was protected by his sand. Without meaning to, she fell in love with him. It was said that the woman was the first to ever love Gaara unconditionally, and he had recognized it as something very great. He married her two and a half years ago. Now he had a sole daughter, whom he named Setsuai, which meant "deep love."

Naruto didn't find it as shocking when he heard about Gaara's marriage. He knew that someday, one would depend on the legendary Sand-nin for love and protection. As Kazekage and as himself, Gaara was able to provide both for his new family. The ANBU captain had actually laughed when the news of the new father had accidentally almost killed Kankuro, his own brother, for venturing too close to his baby girl. It was a few months later that his wife was finally able to persuade the great leader to be a little less protective.

Gaara grudgingly gave and listened.

Naruto walked along the new road that had been paved for easier, safer travel to the Sand village. As they agreed on peace, the Leaf and Sand became very strong allies. They were able to maintain the quiet and calmness that had been sorely missed. The four jounin looked at each other. "Anyone want some water?"

Sakura passed around the bottles of water to everyone, since the Sand region was hot and dry, heavy with dust and, of course, sand. Sparse vegetation grew while Konoha was abundant with greens. They traded with the Hidden Sand for their expert builders to some and build for them. It was a fair deal.

The new road cut directly into the landscape so that it made the shortest passage to and from the villages. A five hour trip each way, it was perfect timing for all of them to get ready for the Hyuuga wedding.

Ah, had you not heard? Hyuuga Neji and Tenten were to be married the next day. It was spring, when the Sakura trees were not yet in bloom. All of them were glad to be going to Tenten and Neji's wedding. Since it _was _a Hyuuga wedding, it was the traditional Japanese one, without the best man or the bridesmaids. But all attending did not care what kind of wedding it was, they were just glad that the couple was finally getting married.

Lee struck up a pleasant conversation with Sakura as they walked. She would laugh and smile if he said something cutely dumb or funny, but sadly to say, the taijutsu master knew she was putting up a front. It hurt him that she wouldn't be sincere with him, that she didn't feel comfortable with him to be herself. He bit back the urge to ask her out loud. His eyes were uneasy as they flicked back and forth from Sakura and to the ground.

"Sakura-san?"

She smiled warmly, enough to make him feel like his legs were melting. "Hai, Lee-san?"

Lee didn't know what do say. So, not to leave her hanging, he hastily said, "You are coming to Neji's wedding, right?"

Smiling, Sakura nodded. "I wouldn't miss it for the world."

He opened his mouth to say something more, but he snapped it shut, and both of the two jounins ducked. A huge fuuma shuriken flew by, whistling as it went. "Attack?"

"My, my, Konoha jounins are amazingly smart." A cruel voice sneered.

The four of them stood their ground. Hinata's Byakugan activated, looking for anymore of the enemy. Their attacker was solo.

Naruto stepped forward, his aggressive nature clearly evident. "What the hell?"

"Uzumaki Naruto, I have a message for you." A man with a black cloak that was printed with red-lined clouds stood before them. A large straw hat covered his face. He threw a kunai and Naruto caught it with ease. There was a note attached to it. "Take it to the Hokage."

"With pleasure," the blonde replied, smirking, "but I'd like to know what an Akatsuki is doing here."

"Uchiha Itachi is dead. His brother killed him. It was said that a pink haired ANBU was there. She knows." He pointed slowly to Sakura, who could do nothing but glare at that point. "I," the man took off his hat in a sweeping motion, "am the true leader of the Akatsuki: Kamoku Akuma."

Everyone's ears twitched at the name. _Silent Devil?_ The shinobi certainly looked the part. He was thin, with a hollowed face, very angular and sharp. His ears were little sharp at the tip. All in one word, he was ugly.

"What do you want?" Lee asked boldly.

"For now, I only want to deal with the Hokage."

The shinobi disappeared in a billow of red smoke.

Gradually, the smoke cleared, making the road visible again. "Come on, we have to hurry if we want to make it to Konoha in time to get plenty of rest up for the big event tomorrow." Naruto had on his serious face as he carefully guided Hinata around a big puddle of water. Taking her hand firmly in his, he led the way.

The sun continued to set slowly and it lit up the forest in a beautiful array of colors. Sakura breathed in the air as she walked beside Lee. "What do you think of spring, Lee-san?"

He was taken aback by the sudden question. Relaxing, he let out an easy grin. "Well, I think…spring is the most beautiful season out of the four!"

The jounin beside him giggled. "You're just saying that."

He feigned a look of hurt. "No, I mean it! Sakura-san, you know I will never lie!"

She laughed brightly. "Hai, hai, Lee-san. I know."

* * *

The next day, Konoha was bustling with excitement. The Hyuuga heir was getting married today! Almost half the village was invited to the formal event and Sakura couldn't wait. Dressed in a pretty, decorative red kimono that complimented her hair and eyes, she walked down the street, towards the Hyuuga estate, where the wedding was taking place. Many were also trekking through the throng of people already, determined to get a good seat.

"Sakura-chan!" A very familiar voice called out. She turned to see a hand waving high above the sea of heads.

"Naruto, over here!" She called back, trying to stand on her tip toes, looking for her blonde friend. Unfortunately, her amazing sense of ninja balance didn't kick in when people brushed past her hurriedly, making her unsteady on the balls of her feet. "Eek!" She gave out a noise of surprise when she toppled over and fell on her bottom.

"Are you alright?"

She grinned up. "Yeah, I'm fine, Naru…" Her smile melted away as she recognized who had spoken to her. "…to…" She finished her sentence quietly.

Uchiha Sasuke looked down at her, his hand extended for her to take. Sakura took it and he pulled her up with ease. Busying herself by trying to brush off the dust off her kimono, she avoided his gaze. Two years had flown by without them speaking a word to each other. She was a medic nin, he was a nin being punished for his betrayal. No chakra, no Sharingan, no weapons, and around-the-clock ANBU guards for three years. It was almost pitiful to see such a powerful shinobi reduced to doing D-rank missions of trying to get cats out of trees.

"Are you alright?" He asked again. His eyes didn't even flicker in recognition at the pretty jounin.

"Yes, I'm fine..."

"Hey, big-forehead girl!" Sakura suppressed the urge to sigh with relief.

"Ino-pig, what are you doing here?" She called out, a fake smile plastered on her face, as she waved.

The platinum blonde haired girl unlatched her arm from Shikamaru's and skipped towards her. "Well, you're dressed up pretty today!" She didn't bother greeting Sasuke. "Come on, we're going to be late! We're Tenten's guests of honor!" Ino grabbed Sakura's arm quite painfully and dragged her away. The medic nin and Sasuke exchanged a nod of good byes and Sakura let herself be dragged away.

"_What_ was he doing?" Ino asked through clenched teeth.

"I fell, and he helped me up." She tried to politely make her way through bodies of many people.

"Sakura-chan! I've been looking all over for you!" Naruto panted, sweat dripping off his forehead. "Tenten asked for you and Ino. I think she said something about calming her nerves."

Ino and Sakura both grinned at each other and rushed off to find Tenten, who was currently in her dressing room, fumbling with long, white obi. Bursting through the door, the two women gasped at the sight before them. The bride-to-be was standing in front of a mirror, auburn hair done in an extravagant traditional style, dressed in a long, flowing kimono.

Clasping her mouth to her hands, Sakura gasped in awe. "Tenten-san, you look so beautiful!"

Tenten smiled shyly and sheepishly. "I don't know how to tie this obi. I've never worn a kimono before…"

In an instant, Ino was working on the obi while Sakura smoothed out the silky material and put delicate makeup on Tenten's face. The elder of the three was breathing a little harder than usual. Her hands were uncharacteristically shaking.

"Nervous?"

Tenten could only nod and swallow. "I've never felt like this before! What if I forget what I'm supposed to do? What if Neji changes his mind and doesn't want to marry me? What am I going to do?" She wailed into her hands, while the two women patted her gently and reassuringly.

"You'll be fine, Tenten-san. As for Neji, if he does decide on such a thing, he has about half the female population to beat him senseless for you."

In only a few hours, the wedding was well underway. Actually, rumors had spread around everywhere in the village that Neji and Tenten had never shared a kiss before. At the wedding, he claimed her mouth for the first time, an action that would earn him the title of the 'most romantic man' in Konoha the next day.

Hyuuga Neji was dressed in a formal kimono himself, his forehead protector and his bandages stowed safely away in his room. Tenten had never really seen Neji without anything on his head. But it wasn't the curse seal that drew her eyes to his face; it was the way he smiling. And his smile was apparently contagious because she couldn't stop smiling herself.

From here on, he belonged to only one woman. His woman was before him, dressed elegantly and beautifully, and she looked a little shocked and shy at his kiss. The audience erupted into cheers and applause when the new couple bowed to them.

Sasuke stood to the side, observing quietly as he leaned against a wall of some sort. His dark eyes would flicker from random faces to a certain kunoichi's unintentionally. Or so he told himself. Completely unintentional.

"Good morning." A man with white eyes greeted him. By the looks of the green curse seal marked on the forehead, the man was from the Branch house.

Sasuke inclined his head forward but remained silent. As usual, his cold demeanor took over and ignored the man. He turned again when the man started to speak. "A woman asked for you."

"Who?" His voice betrayed nothing.

"A pink haired woman. Haruno Sakura."

He immediately looked for Sakura in the crowds. Narrowing his eyes in suspicion, he glared at the Hyuuga. He was unafraid. There was nothing Sasuke could do anyway. "She is waiting for you in the garden."

He nodded and went, a part of him wondering what she wanted. Arriving at the garden, he sat down on a bench that faced a small pond full of lily pads. A petite body took a seat next to him.

"Why did you bring me here?" He asked monotonously.

"I didn't. I merely asked for you. The choice to come was yours." She replied. Neither of them faced the other. They kept their eyes on the pond.

"Why did you ask for me?" The Uchiha felt dumb for asking, but he getting irritated by her silence.

Sakura didn't speak for a while. "I wanted to take you somewhere."

Wordlessly, she walked away, leading him away from the party and the laughter. Hesitantly he followed, curious where she wanted to take him. His eyes focused on the young lady before him, surprised that she grown a little more over the two years. He had hardly seen her during those years and it was evident that she was avoiding him. He didn't mind. She could ignore him for another two and leave him unfazed and at peace.

But that would be a lie.

In truth, he had silently missed her and everyone, and he silently longed for companionship. After witnessing the Hyuuga getting married, Sasuke knew he was missing something. However, his attention soon shifted from her to the road on which they were walking on. It seemed terrifyingly familiar. He stopped. This was the road that led to the Uchiha Massacre.

Sakura noticed and turned around. She had been walking a good five feet ahead of him, but it was obvious that he had stopped. His graceful shuffles of footsteps had ceased to continue. Her eyes traveled from his feet to his face, which had crumbled into a look of fear. Fear was etched all over his face as his eyes were glazed over.

"Sasuke?"

Suddenly, Sasuke snapped out of his trance and glared at her in anger. Uncontrolled anger. He swiftly walked to her, seizing her by the wrist painfully, enough to make her wince. "What the _hell_ do you think you're _doing_?" He snarled.

Sakura tried to pull her wrist away. His grip didn't release it. "You need to get past that day, Sasuke."

"Who are you to tell me when to move on?" He snapped, his hand constricting even more painfully around her wrist.

"Sasuke, I made a mistake. I'm sorry." She said quietly, her eyes were staring at his chest.

"Why have you been avoiding me?" He demanded from her, though his tone was less icy from before. Sasuke shook her a bit when she didn't answer. "Why?"

"Because…" She tried, but her voice broke, slightly startling herself. The kunoichi cleared her throat. "Because I don't want to be around people that say that they can't love." Her voice was quiet and soft, but they rang like a gong in Sasuke's head.

"So, you hate me?" He asked, his grip slackening a little.

There was no reply. The Uchiha let go of her and let her pass, his gaze elsewhere on the ground. She brushed past him and started to walk away.

"Will you teach me?"

Sakura stopped, almost losing her balance at the question. She whirled around, but he was still standing away from her, where she had been planning to leave him. "What did you say?"

The tall, lean figure slowly turned around lazily, hands in pockets. His posture was languid and relaxed as his face remained in that apathetic countenance. "I asked if you could teach me."

"Teach you what?" Sakura gaped at him like an incoherent child.

"What you call love. Will you teach me?"

Tears slid down her porcelain face as she understood his question. "Love can't be taught to you. It isn't something you can read out of a book." She said in a desperate voice.

"Aa."

"What do you want to _learn_?" She asked, her arms spread in front of her in an inquiring manner.

"I've forgotten what it feels like to love, Sakura." He turned sideways and stared at the sky. The wind scattered his bangs across his face. "But maybe, I've felt it before. I don't know. Can you relearn things?"

Sasuke was surprised to feel a pair of arms wrap around his chest from behind. This was the third time they had been in that position. Except he was much taller than her now, but it felt so perfect.

"Relearning is easy. Yes, I will teach you. Everyone will. Are you willing to love them back?" She whispered to his muscular back.

His face seemed to falter, but then he remembered that Itachi was dead. There was no one to take away his loved ones again. Never again. This time he was stronger. He could prevent it.

"Are you willing to accept them back, Sasuke?"

He could love them all back; it just would need some patience and time. He really didn't know what love was anymore. If the people around him could accept him back, then he could accept them back in his life.

"Will you protect them?"

He would protect them to no end. If it cost time his life, he would still do so. Was this what love was? The need to protect? The need to make them happy? Sasuke could vaguely recall those times when he had strived to make his parents and his brother happy. But what if the happiness he gave them was not enough? Would they abandon him? Would they discard him like a useless tool? He tensed at the thought.

"Love means to never abandon, Sasuke. Are you willing to never leave them?"

If they didn't, then he wouldn't either. Never again. After revenge, nothing seemed good enough to live for. But if he had people that wanted him to live, wanted him to spend time with them, then he would never leave again.

"Love is not selfish, Sasuke. Are you ready to love them?"

He turned around, breaking the contact of her body from him. Sasuke pulled her closer. "Yes, I am ready."

She seemed to melt into his body when she heard his answer. "Then I've taught you everything I know. I'll help you. Is that ok? Can I help you?"

Sakura looked up at him pleadingly, her apple green eyes gave Sasuke a silent tremor through his body. He could only nod in response.

"Let's go back to the wedding, ne?"

They walked back to the Hyuuga estate. Before entering, he stopped her. "You look pretty today." He said a little awkwardly, but it was done very smoothly and in a gentlemanly way.

A blush crept up to her cheeks. "Thank you."

His face twitched into a half smile. "I've been waiting to make you say that."

* * *

**Author's notes:** I think I changed my mind. I'll continue with this story and see if I can make it longer. More romance oriented, I believe. Ok, I'm happy now. That means no epilogues though. ;; I like writing this story. I don't want to stop, so I won't. The reviews that I read changed my mind, actually. I didn't want people abandon this story, even if it was going to end. Hopefully, I'll write lots more.

A little Gaara stuff. I don't know why I put it there, but that's ok. Everyone is happy.

Thank you endlessly for your reviews! Love you much!


	15. Part XV

**Itonami:** No action just yet, alright? Next chapter will have the Akatsuki problems. Don't worry. And to a reviewer that was confused about why I said that Neji was the Hyuuga heir… Read paragraph 21. Yes, count every single little dialogue paragraph starting from the first paragraph right under "Chapter 15." It will contain the necessary information about how I made Neji the Hyuuga heir, and not Hinata. I think it makes a little sense…

Anyway! Enjoy! Review! Thank you for those reviews!

Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Naruto.

* * *

Chapter 15 

Sasuke slowly began to realize the pleasant feeling of being wanted. It was a very painstaking process. But Sakura was patient as was everyone else. They knew he was not very graceful in the art of simple friendship, but they could see him trying.

The Uchiha was currently training taijutsu maneuvers, since weapons were not allowed in his possession and all of his chakra reserves were sealed away. A small part of his soul was glad that he didn't have that kind of dangerous power, but it still took some getting used to, even after two years. He still couldn't bring himself to ask Rock Lee for new taijutsu, since his pride was all that he had left. Asking for help was something that all men struggled with, something that was left for them to deal with.

Up in the trees, he could faintly feel at least two ANBU watching him and keeping an eye out for anything suspicious. Sasuke dully hoped that it would rain. It was hot and he was sweating if he was getting drenched in a rainstorm. He looked up to see no clouds in the vast blue sky and let out a sigh. Maybe he should just meditate like the Hyuuga does.

"Oi, Sasuke!"

He turned to the sound of the voice. Naruto waved at him, with Sakura beside him, who also waved in greeting. He felt a tiny smirk sneak its way on his face as he briefly raised a hand in return. Naruto sprinted to him excitedly.

"What are you doing here? Aren't you going to go to the festival?"

Sasuke blinked a couple of times, a sure sign that he was confused. Naruto slung a casual arm around his shoulder, which Sasuke carefully learned not to push away. Not really knowing what to do, he shoved his hands in his pockets, very characteristically, and pasted a small scowl on his face. "What are you talking about?"

Naruto grinned hugely. "Come on, Sasuke-teme, this entire week is the annual Konoha festival. Let's go, Sakura-chan and I were just looking for you." Naruto gave a grimace and took his arm off of the raven-haired ninja next to him. "You should go take a shower first. You reek."

Slightly flushed at being scolded by the way he smelled, Sasuke stomped off to his apartment and quickly showered, while his two companions waited in his small bedroom.

Putting on a fresh set of clothes, the trio took off for the middle of town where the festival was taking place. Sasuke was still uneasy with this much people around; he had been ambushed before in large crowds. This felt no different. Sakura sensed his tense body, and she put a reassuring hand on his arm, just in case he needed some support. The Uchiha gave her his half smile, to show her his gratefulness.

"Look, there's Neji and Tenten!" Naruto shouted over all the noise. The other pair nodded and followed the blonde jounin.

"Neji-san! Tenten-san!" Sakura called out cheerfully.

The couple turned and Tenten waved them over while she had her arm looped through her husband's. Neji gave them a simple nod of acknowledgement and said their names. "Haruno, I heard from Lee that you re-passed the ANBU exam. Congratuations."

The one being addressed beamed. "Thank you, Neji-san. It feels better to know that I'm not just a medic nin anymore."

Sakura gazed curiously at a small bundle in Neji's arms. "What do you have there?"

It was Tenten's turn to smile. "Neji wanted another cat for Chopsticks. I named her Hanryo, for being a companion for him." As if the cat knew her name already, she poked her head out of the Hyuuga male's arms and gave a loud mew. She was a silky white cat with a brown smudge on her head and one at the tip of a long tail. Hanryo rubbed her head against Neji's chest while purring.

"She's beautiful." The rosy-haired kunoichi giggled. "How is Chopsticks anyway? He's not being trouble, is he?"

Neji shook his head and smirked. "He's gotten bigger…and restless."

"Anosa, anosa, Hyuuga, where's Hinata-chan?"

"Hinata-sama will be here shortly."

To speak the truth, it was out of pure disciplined habit that Neji still attached the honorific after his cousin's name. She was chosen to lead the Hyuuga clan a year ago, after Hiashi's untimely death. Hinata had formally stepped down as the Hyuuga leader but only after she announced the end of the division in the clan that separated the Main and Branch houses. She installed a new policy that one would have to prove him or herself worthy to become the next leader of the Hyuuga clan. Since the separation was no longer there, Neji was next in line for the title. Hinata insisted that Neji would stop calling her with the respectful honorific behind it, since he was the older one and now that he was the leader of the clan. Neji had actually been quite hesitant to claim the leading spot (contrary to popular belief), but Hinata again told him that she had no use for such a title. She would be married into the Uzumaki clan soon anyway.

"Sasuke," Neji drawled, catching Sasuke's attention, "I thought it would be wise to make amends with the last Uchiha." He held out a hand while shifting the cat into his other arm.

Sasuke gave him his trademark smirk and shook it. "Why the sudden decision?"

Neji matched Sasuke's smugness with his own. "A Hyuuga does not hold grudges. Besides, it would make it easier for you to admit that the Hyuuga clan is and will always be the most powerful clan in Konoha."

"We'll see, Hyuuga." The Uchiha said calmly.

Naruto snickered. "I'm afraid you two are both wrong. The Uzumaki clan is the strongest. It all starts with me."

"The only children you would be having are little miniature perverted-ramen-crazed Narutos if it weren't for Hinata." Sakura teased vigorously, as she pulled on his ear.

They all laughed while Sasuke smiled in amusement.

Hinata joined them after awhile and Lee was nowhere to be found. The group, with Hanryo still in Neji's arms, went to try the different food and to look around the various vendors' items. The bars would be open all day and all night, and so they decided to meet in the evening for some drinks.

After a while, Sasuke got headaches at the constant noise of people and things moving. He became impatient to leave. Sakura smiled at his irate form. "The festival at night is a little better. If you don't have anything to do, we'll be near the Ichiraku."

He nodded and made his way through the crowd. "Wait! Sasuke!" He twisted to see Sakura trying to fight her way to him. Her rosy cheeks were flushed even more as a brilliant smile crossed her face.

"I'll walk you home, ne?" She grinned at him. He could only return a smile of his own as they both walked away from the noise.

"Sasuke…" Sakura gazed up at him. Touching was limited. He wasn't used to all the hugging and touching yet.

"Hm?"

"I've…been to your house before." She let out a nervous laugh and started to fiddle with her fingers. "I cleaned a little bit in there for you, though now it's been two years since I've cleaned it."

"Why?" His voice was cold and curt. He was angry.

"I thought you'd like to live there again…when you were older…" She replied hesitantly. The pink haired woman didn't dare return Sasuke's glare. His gaze was drilling holes through her.

"Stay away from there, Sakura. I mean it." He said, a warning tone in his voice that she had never heard before.

Sakura nodded, knowing that she had no right to trespass on private property. But if he could see the things he left behind…but she shouldn't push him. It would drive him further away. "Ano…"

"Hm?" His voice was back to its complacent, calmness.

"Would you consider walking with me?" He gave her a suspicious glance. "I just want to walk. We'll go to the park."

He nodded and they switched directions towards the park. Children were playing tag and hide-and-seek, games that were now foreign to him. Sasuke wondered if he had played such games, innocence displayed like the sun and laughter readily on his lips. He was torn between smiling and frowning.

Sakura had her hands clasped behind her back as they walked slowly down the beaten path, enjoying the nature and the birds singing. The woman opened her eyes, briefly letting her eyes grace the handsome face of Uchiha Sasuke. By far, he was one of the best looking of shinobi in Konoha. He possessed a beautifully cut jaw, his face and eyes finely chiseled to suit him very well. He hadn't changed over the two years as she could see, and his hair and eyes were as black as ever.

"You've been such a mystery to me, Sasuke." She said absently, her eyes traveling back on the road.

Sasuke looked at her surprise, and then relaxed into a neutral expression. "Have I?"

The pink-haired jounin nodded slowly, still thinking. "A puzzlement, an enigma, someone who seems to have an unconscious knack at confusing me."

The man arched his perfect eyebrow. "I…confuse you?"

She would have laughed at how he sounded like a child unaware of his mischief. "You just do. I can say that I've been confused more than once by you and your attitude."

He stopped walking and looked at her. "I don't confuse you now, do I?"

Sakura grinned and shook her head. "No, you don't anymore. I'm glad you don't."

Sasuke was silent as he started to walk again. "I'm glad, too."

The pair of them traveled in silence, without a destination or a purpose. "What are you going to do after your three years are up?"

The question was met by only the whistling wind as it brushed past them. "Go for a jounin rank. Being in ANBU seems like good idea."

Of course, what else was he going to do with all of that power? Why did she expect another answer? Sakura just didn't comment and let out a sigh. It wasn't like he was going to get married her and live happily ever after. It was stupid of her to expect another answer. He was born to become a ninja and so he shall. It was obvious. She shouldn't have asked a question like that. It would just annoy him further.

"What are you planning to do with your life, Sakura?"

Sakura looked at him in astonishment at his question. He actually expressed interest in what she was going to do in the future. She thought about it for a while and she answered, "I was hoping to be the head of the medical unit and maybe lead some missions someday. I'd like to teach the genins, too. I have Kakashi-senpai to thank for that inspiration. Tsunade-sama is looking to assign me a team next year."

"I see." He said quietly.

Of course, what else would she do? Having excellent chakra control and being one of the most renown of medical ninjas, it was logical that she would want to achieve something in the medical field. With her bubbly personality, it would be easy for her to teach new genins. It was stupid of him to expect a different answer. It wasn't like she was going marry him and live happily ever after, even though she deserved to live a comfortable life.

"Sasuke, is everything okay?" She asked, concern written on her face.

He nodded and focused his eyes elsewhere. It bothered him to look at her face. He didn't understand why. It gave him a sense of contentment and frustration all at once. Sasuke didn't like that feeling. It confused him. What that what Sakura had meant? Feeling two contrasting emotions all at the same time? It certainly gave him a mind sore just trying to deal with it.

Sakura pointed to a bench and they both sat down with a respectable distance between them so that they both didn't feel too awkward. There was a playground behind them and little children were laughing and screaming with glee.

"Sakura-san, over here!" An enthusiastic masculine voice caught the couple's attention.

"Lee-san, what are you doing here?" She called over brightly as she waved.

"One of the little children wanted to play a game. He's on the verge of wakening his flaming youth!" Lee declared solemnly, as he patted a little boy's head.

"Lee-niisan, I want to play with him!" The boy pointed to Sasuke. Lee's grin instantly dropped from his face.

"Sakura-san, is Sasuke-san here with you?" He asked, trying to pass off his question in a casual, unconcerned voice.

The medic nin was oblivious to the nervous tension in the taijutsu master's chakra. She nodded while smiling still. "Hai, Lee-san. We were just taking a walk. Sasuke and I didn't like all the noise from the festival."

"You shouldn't wander alone, Sakura-san. It's dangerous." He warned in a low voice.

"Eh?" Sakura's face turned into one of puzzlement. "I'm not alone, Lee-san. Sasuke was walking with me." She abruptly got his message and grew a little angry. "There's no need to worry. I can take care of myself." Her voice came across a little cold.

"I didn't mean it like that, Sakura-san. I'm sorry." He apologized and bowed humbly.

The pink-haired woman put down her verbal defenses and gave him a slight smile. "I understand, Lee-san. No need to apologize."

"Sakura," Sasuke spoke up behind her. He had gotten off the bench and tapped her shoulder.

Not knowing what he wanted, she turned to see him point downwards. The little boy was clinging to his leg as if his life depended on it. Sasuke looked slightly annoyed when she giggled at the sight. "What's your name?" She asked the boy.

He looked up at her and blushed. "I'm Touji."

"Hi, Touji. I'm Sakura. Do you like Sasuke-san?"

Touji nodded. "I'm going to be like him. If I'm like him, then maybe when I'm older, I'll have a pretty girlfriend like you just like he does!"

Sasuke gave a peculiar choking noise at his words. Sakura's face was tinted red as she laughed in amusement. "Well, Touji, what do you say to letting go of Sasuke-san's leg and then playing with him?" She received a very murderous look from the Uchiha. "I'm sure he'd like to play with you."

It wasn't long when Touji was merrily trying to escape the tickling clutches of Sakura. He hid behind Sasuke, who actually looked like he was enjoying playing with the little child, and gave a squeal when a pair of strong arms swung him up into the air. The Uchiha kicked off a tree and spun in the air very fast, while he had the little boy safely tucked away in his arms. Landing swiftly, he set the Touji down and watched in amusement and worry as the little boy staggered towards Sakura's waiting arms dizzily.

"Oof! Sakura-san, I'm dizzy!" Touji exclaimed as he tried to focus his vision. She laughed and looked up at Sasuke to find him smiling and watching the boy carefully.

The three who were playing together did not notice Lee, as he walked away with jealousy burning inside the pit of his stomach. Uchiha Sasuke had everything he did not: an advanced bloodline of the Sharingan, strength, looks, playful charm, immediate attraction of children, and above everything else, Haruno Sakura's heart. Rock Lee needed to get away from everything and cool off before he did something stupid.

It was almost the designated time to meet everyone else at the Ichiraku ramen stand. Touji had gone home long before with a grateful mother who thanked them for taking care of him. The sun was setting, the sky growing dark, and Sasuke had not felt like going back to his small apartment. Sakura stayed with him at the playground, each sitting on a swing, while inattentively swinging back and forth.

"Sasuke, we should go meet up with everyone." Sakura said, standing from her swing and waiting for him to do the same. He got up wearily and she grinned. "Touji was fun to play with, wasn't he? You really seemed to be enjoying yourself." She said.

They began to walk back to the hubbub of the festival. There was silence between them and the stars were beginning to take their places in the night sky. "Were you happy, Sakura? During my absence?"

Sasuke was expecting a serious answer, but she chuckled. "You don't know the answer to that?"

He grunted. "I wasn't here to know. That's why I'm asking."

"Were _you_ happy while you were gone?"

Sasuke sighed. "You really need to answer my question with another?"

She nodded. "Whatever your answer is, it's my answer, too. You don't even need to tell me. Just think about it."

No, he hadn't been happy when he had gone to Orochimaru, but it wasn't like he expected to be happy. Sasuke had thought that happiness was out of the equation that made up his life, since the revenge upon his brother was still in it. If his answer was no, then hers was no also. Why? When she had all of these friends around her, she still wasn't happy? Could it have been that she was unhappy because he was out of the equation of _her _life? Perhaps, it could be possible.

They arrived together at festival, this time Sasuke a little less nervous and alert, and walked over to the ramen stand. It was boggling with people and she spotted her friends out from everyone. "Minna-san!" She shouted above the noise.

Naruto grinned as he saw that Sasuke was going to join them also. He waved and turned back to Hinata, who had her attention focused on ordering bowls of ramen for all of them. Tenten and Neji were standing not far away, deep in conversation with each other.

The dinner was pleasant and it carried on without an obstacles. Naruto ordered a least nine bowls due to a massive hunger pain. Hinata could only smile at his ramen eating mode. He could be so silly at times…

Tenten looked around suddenly. "Where's Lee anyway? I haven't seen him all day."

* * *

Lee was currently sitting at a bar and he hesitantly ordered a bottle of sake. Pouring a little in the small cup, he looked at it with pained eyes. His trembling hands took it to his lips and felt the warm liquid slip down his throat, causing a pleasant feeling throughout his body. His mind became hazy and unclear, as it demanded for more of the sake. Lee was obedient.

* * *

Sakura's head snapped up from her steaming bowl. "Lee-san? I saw him…hours ago." Her legs went numb. "I didn't even notice that he left." 

Sasuke hesitantly reached out and put his hand on her shoulder, not know how to reassure people in their time of need. Sakura flashed him a weak smile as turned back to her ramen. She swirled the noodles disinterestedly with her chopsticks.

"Sakura, everyone's getting up." The Uchiha whispered into her ear. It caused an unexpected tremor through her body.

"Oh…" She drifted off and got up with the rest of them.

Naruto stretched and patted his stomach. "Why don't we go to a bar to relax, ne? What do you say?" He asked everyone. Neji looked at Tenten, who nodded in agreement.

The bar wasn't far off and the group of ninjas made their progress through the crowd of people milling about. Sasuke subconsciously stayed near Sakura and Naruto, feeling a little bit more comfortable with them than anyone else.

"Lee!" Tenten exclaimed, spotting her teammate slouching on one of the stools in the bar, unsteadily swaying. Beside him were a spilled bottle of sake and a knocked over cup. He didn't know where that voice was coming from.

"Damn," Neji breathed. He took a step towards his drunk comrade, but he flew back when a lightning quick Lee spin-kicked his chest.

Rock Lee stood before them, rose-tinted cheeks glowing brightly in the light, with his hand curled into loose fists. Still swaying on his feet, his unfocused eyes spotted his hated target.

"You!" He hiccupped as he pointed to Sasuke. "You make me…_hic_…sick…_hic_…you bastard…" His speech was slurred. Sasuke stood his ground.

"Lee-san, you need to sit down." Sakura said firmly. "I'll flush the alcohol out of your system."

Lee grinned cheekily. "Sakura-chan…_hic_…did you know that…_hic_…I've loved you ever since…_hic_…I laid eyes on…_hic_…you?" He staggered towards her but she backed away. Sasuke grew a little worried and stepped in front of her. The drunken shinobi glared at the Uchiha, who gladly glared back, unfazed by his drunkenness. "Out of my way…_hic_…bastard! Why…_hic_…are you always…_hic_…in my way? You have everything…_hic_…so can't you at least let me…_hic_…have Sakura-chan's…_hic_…heart?"

"You're drunk, Lee." Sasuke replied coldly.

"No! I'm not…_hic_…drunk!" Lee burst out savagely. An unexpected drunken fist was thrown, connecting perfectly with Sasuke's jaw. The Uchiha couldn't help but stagger slightly by the momentum of his punch.

"Sasuke!" Sakura cried out, automatically reaching out for the bruising spot.

Sasuke's eyes burned with fury and his hands clenched and unclenched with an urge to retaliate. He felt himself relax at Sakura's healing touch, which was applying some chakra to lessen the bruise. Then, her hand was snatched away by Lee.

"Why don't you…_hic_…touch me like that…_hic_…Sakura-chan?" Lee asked as his face dipped into reach her lips.

Before anyone could object, Sakura slapped Lee. The stinging sensation tingled beneath his skin. His mind became a little clearer.

"Lee, stop it!" Tenten shouted, getting extremely angry. Naruto's image blurred and grabbed Lee from behind. Neji clamped his arms around his comrade's legs, restraining him from kicking madly.

The medic nin finished healing Sasuke's bruise but even afterwards, she let her hand rest on his jaw line. "Are you alright?"

He nodded. "Are you alright?"

Sakura sniffed and he witnessed her eyes glaze over with moisture. "I seem to hurt everyone I know." She gave him a fake smile. "Aren't I an awful person, Sasuke? I am…I am an awful person."

"You're not. Stop telling yourself that." Sasuke snapped, his dark eyes flashing at her.

Sakura's smile disappeared. The commotion in the bar stopped when Lee started to snore loudly. Everyone visibly let down their guard and some of the men decided to take Lee back to his home. Sakura followed worriedly and Sasuke slowly trailed after them.

Neji found the house key in the taijutsu specialist's jounin vest pocket and kicked open the door. Laying him down on his bed, Sakura quickly made seals to get rid of the sake in his system. A strange hissing sound could be heard as she neutralized the alcohol with chakra.

It was only about ten minutes after the performed jutsu that Lee regained consciousness. Everyone looked at him strangely. "What has happened?" Then the memories of what had happened a few hours ago replayed themselves in his mind. Lee's eyes widened and then hung his head.

"I'm sorry, Sakura-san. I don't know what has gotten into me. I should be punished." He whispered with his voice filled with shame and regret.

Sakura looked on with pity in her eyes. "I forgive you, Lee-san. Just don't ever drink sake again. You hear me?"

Lee straightened and saluted smartly. "Hai!"

* * *

**Author's notes:** Was that crap or what? T-T I will cry for the lack of inspiration that caused me to write this bad, but long, chapter. 

As I said at the beginning, I will have the Akatsuki trouble brew in the next chapter.

Once again, Neji and his cats prevail!

Lee will never, ever be a drunken Lee ever again. Understand! You better, because I am never going to have Lee drunk ever. Ok? Ever! Never, ever!

It was more SasuSaku oriented this chapter. Others will come in due time. Hopefully.

Keep reading! Don't give up on me! Keep reviewing, too!


	16. Part XVI

**Itonami: **Yes, yes, I know I'm late with this chapter. My internet went screwy and stuff. This is a little shorter than usual. Sorry. I didn't want to start the actual action until the next chapter or so. This one introduces the Akatsuki problems and has Sakura x Sasuke and Neji x Tenten fluff. I'm so proud..

Oh, maybe I should put a note to clear up something. Uchiha Itachi is dead. There will be no romance between his ghost and Sakura. Now, it would be more of a Lee x Sakura x Sasuke triangle. I like to keep Sakura in a triangle. It makes things more fun. I apologize for the confusion.

Ha ha, anyway. Enjoy and see if you like.

Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Naruto.

* * *

Chapter 16

The Godaime rapped her knuckles on her desk, a look of absolute fury etched on her pretty face. "The Akatsuki is still _existing_!" On her desk was a dirty scroll that was oozing of blood. In it, lay a child's heart, coated in thick, brown blood and it was beginning to rot. It gave off a pungent smell of decaying flesh and putrid blood. She was breathing heavily, still a little frightened and unsettled at the sight of blood.

"I need to think." Tsunade sighed, getting up from her seat. "Get Uzumaki Naruto and Haruno Sakura in here. _Now._"

An ANBU wearing a bird mask quickly disappeared in a swirl of smoke from her office. It made its way in the night, easily spotting the tall blonde and the pink-haired medic.

Getting in their path towards the bar, it halted the entire group traveling with them. It bowed low. "Hokage-sama requests your presence. It is an urgent matter." When everyone made a move to follow, it held up a hand. "She has only asked for Uzumaki-san and Haruno-san."

Sakura's face grew serious and looked back Sasuke. He nodded at her to go on. She turned to face Naruto. "Hey, let's go before Tsunade-sama gets mad."

The two of them bid everyone good night and transported to the Hokage's office. Tsunade was pacing on the floor in a repetitive way, her pretty face contracted into a worried scowl. When they came in, she stopped pacing and turned to look at them. More specifically, she looked straight at Naruto.

"Ne, Oba-chan, what's up? What's the emergency?" He asked, scratching his head with a confused expression on his face.

Without a word, the Hokage pointed to the scroll latent in a bloody pool and the two gagged horribly at the sight. Sakura had to cover her nose. Even as a medic nin, she was never used to the stench of exposed blood. Naruto wrinkled his nose and coughed loudly.

"The Akatsuki note that you handed to me…a _child's_ heart was carved out and put in it." Tsunade whispered in a pained tone, but it grew louder and stronger. "They are on the move again. They will strike when we least expect it. There is no time. Naruto, you are in great danger. Itachi might have lost the vision of the Akatsuki, but this leader is still after you.

"The time, place, and the how are in a little riddle that he so _cleverly _made up for us to solve." Beige eyes sharply looked at Sakura. "Haruno Sakura, I want you to gather up Shikamaru and a tactics team as soon as possible. Have them assemble here as soon as the sun is up tomorrow. I will get the medical team.

"Uzumaki Naruto, you will call out a strike division and a defense division. I want you to get the jounin and chuunin to take part, besides the medic units." She said swiftly, spinning on her heel to walk back to her desk. She pulled out a blank scroll in which she hastily started to scribble on. Rolling it up again, she threw to Naruto. He caught it easily and stuffed it in his jounin vest.

"Go, make sure you're discreet." She gave him a wry smile. "I'm sure you can do that. We don't want the village to panic. Let them enjoy the festival."

"Tsunade, does this mean that Sasuke can be used here? You know he can kill with taijutsu alone. I can really use him." Naruto said casually, but Sakura and Tsunade could both tell he was demanding Sasuke.

The Godaime hesitated and looked uncertain for a split second, but nodded slowly. "Bring Uchiha Sasuke here. I wish to speak with him. I will have to ask the elders of the village. Sakura and Naruto, you two go and do what I just told you. We are short on time. Be quick and report when everything is in place."

Sakura and Naruto sprinted out, the wind knocking back their hair from their faces. The female jounin nodded to Naruto. "I'll go get Shikamaru! You go get Sasuke! I'm sure he'll be there with the others!" She shouted as they split in different directions.

Naruto raised a thumbs-up sign as he headed off to where he and Sakura had left everyone else. Relief flooded through him as he located the group of jounins that he was looking for. Rushing up to meet them, he was winded from excitement and adrenaline.

"Sasuke!" He shouted, making everyone wince at his loud voice. Sasuke looked at Naruto curiously. The panting jounin was breathing heavily with his hands on his knees. Hinata handed him a cup of water shyly, which he accepted gratefully.

Wiping off his mouth with the back of hand, he said to his friend again, "Tsunade wants to have a word. Just go up there now." The blonde ninja winked at his friend. "Don't worry, you're not in trouble."

"Yes, I'm sure she wants to have tea and crumpets, dobe." Sasuke's tone was half sarcastic and half monotone, but he vanished anyway, leaving Naruto to deal with the others left behind.

The blonde nin now spoke in a very soft voice so that the people listening had to lean in very close. "Alright, everyone listen. We're not going to panic and make a commotion. This festival will continue, despite what is going to happen now. The Godaime has been given a scroll that threatens Konoha."

"Is the Hokage in danger?" Neji asked.

"No, but the Kyuubi's power is." He received very shocked glances. "Look, that's not the important point. The Akatsuki is on the rise again because some nutcase is after the Kyuubi."

"Shouldn't you be somewhere safer? In a secret location?" They all knew that Naruto was the Kyuubi carrier, but he hated being referred to as that.

Naruto became very impatient. "Will you all just listen to me?" The noise quieted and he continued, still in the same low voice. "The Hokage has assigned me to get an offensive team and the defensive team, to protect the village if the strike doesn't wipe out the Akatsuki.

"I'll explain the details at sunrise tomorrow. That's when Shikamaru is coming in to help solve a damn riddle that the Akatsuki has written. I'll meet you at the jounin lounge. Spread the word around to all the jounins if you can. I'll need all the help I can get. I'm afraid Konoha is preparing for war…again."

Sasuke couldn't figure out what the Godaime could want with him. He didn't do anything wrong, did he? He didn't even touch a weapon, did not hurt anyone. What could Tsunade want?

"Uchiha Sasuke, you may enter." A voice called out from behind the double doors.

Before he pushed open the doors, Sasuke smelled blood. It was faint, but it was coming from the office. When he entered the room, it was a little heavier.

"Ah, sorry for the smell." She noticed him grimace a little as he entered. "The Akatsuki is playing a revolting game." She wrinkled her nose in displeasure.

The Uchiha's eyes narrowed at the mention of the organization. "The Akatsuki is dead. Naruto's team killed them off."

Tsunade looked out of her window. "Don't be naïve, Sasuke. Just because your brother led them once, doesn't mean that another just as powerful will not come along and pick up the slack."

"Itachi is dead then." Sasuke stated calmly and she nodded her head in reply.

"Another by the name of Kamoku Akuma has declared himself the true leader of these Akatsuki bastards." She sighed and faced Sasuke. "But, there is a more important issue that I've called you here. Naruto has requested that you may be able to participate in the teams being organized for the safety of our village. He still believes in your abilities, and I have decided that I do also.

"Your three years are almost up, and I will send a message to the elders to see if they will approve of unsealing you again. Now is the perfect opportunity to prove that we are able to trust you once more. I will give you another chance, a little sooner than expected, but four more months isn't going to make much of a difference. I've already sent the scroll with the fastest hawk, so I just need to wait for their reply."

"You're going to give me back my chakra?" He asked blankly, wondering if this was a dream.

Tsunade smiled at his astonishment. "You owe me, Uchiha. Yes, I will unseal your chakra reserves." She turned serious again. "I cannot spare ANBU to baby-sit you. If I hear that you've escaped or betrayed us once more, _there will absolutely be no mercy given._ Understand?"

"Hai, Hokage-sama." He bowed curtly.

"You are dismissed. I will alert you as soon as word is received."

Sasuke bowed low and turned to go. His hand met the cold brass door handle but then her voice stopped him.

"Sasuke, don't make Sakura wait too long, or it might be too late! Life is short, and I'm positive you know that from first-hand experience." The Godaime called out, a grin on her lips.

Without a sign of acknowledgement, Sasuke disappeared out of the room.

Sakura sped through the night over the buildings, trying to spot a familiar slouched posture in the crowd. They would have to assemble tomorrow at sunup. It was already well past two in the morning.

"Damn it, Shikamaru." She muttered under her breath.

"I saw him near the gates with Ino."

Sakura wheeled around and skidded to a stop with difficulty. "Sasuke?" Her face broke into a smile and walked along the shingles of a roof towards him.

"Did you go to Tsunade-sama?"

He nodded and stretched. "I heard Naruto wants me to help."

For some reason, small fear struck Sakura's heart. "Yes, he recommended you to Tsunade-sama."

"I'll have to thank him then."

"Be careful, Sasuke. I'll do my best to check on you guys."

He smirked. "I'm always careful."

She had to smile at that. They had run out of things to say to each other and an awkward silence shifting through them uncomfortably. The wind embraced the pair in its cool arms as it caressed their hair and face. Words became useless and died in their chests. They both sighed at the same time then caught each other's eyes.

Uchiha Sasuke stepped closer and Haruno Sakura stayed where she was. He had an uncertain look on his face. His footsteps halted hesitantly and he had his hands burrowed in his pockets. Sakura barely dared to breathe.

"Be careful, Sakura." He muttered, tearing his gaze from her ivory face. He still had that uncertain expression evident on his face.

Sakura was actually quite disappointed at his words. She had expected something more than that, and she had no idea why. "I'll be careful. Don't worry." It was all she could reply. What else could she say?

"Go, Shikamaru has no idea what's happening." He said, regaining his composure, stowing away his uncertainty.

She nodded and gave him one last smile. Disappearing with a puff of smoke, Sasuke turned away. Something soft brushed past his cheek and he caught is swiftly. Upon opening his hand, he saw that it was a single petal of a sakura blossom. The wind picked it up from his hand and the petal seemed to dance alone in the air, swirling and twirling lively as the shinobi watched with his charcoal eyes.

* * *

Tenten was in their room, lying on her stomach on their soft futon, watching Chopsticks and Hanryo interact. Hanryo had been a little shy at first, not knowing what to do as the tomcat inspected the new feline that invaded his territory. But they both became very fond of each other that they were the best of friends in no time at all.

She giggled as Hanryo chased Chopsticks' tail. The two cats were making loud mews, carrying out to the garden. Hyuuga Neji slowly lifted one eye to reveal a beautiful pearl-colored iris. He had been meditating in the night but many things were distracting that night. The Hyuuga leader stood from his meditating rock and quietly made his way to the room which he and his wife shared.

"Tenten, you're not torturing them, are you?" He drawled as he slid open the shoji door.

Tenten smiled up at him, her chin resting on her hands. "They're just having fun, Neji."

Neji sat down on their futon next to his wife, his gaze wandering from the cats to the woman observing them. Tenten had her hair down, which flowed gently over her back, the auburn color shining its many tints of red and brown. A crescent moon gave off pale light through the rice paper of the doors. Because of it, he was able to see the porcelain color of her hands and face, her mahogany eyes sparkling with amusement as she watched her cats tussle playfully.

Tenten suddenly turned to meet his stare, almost drowning herself in his colorless eyes. "They seem to like each other a lot." She murmured softly.

The Hyuuga cocked an eyebrow. "Is that so?"

"They probably like each other more than we like each other." She teased, giggling at his unreadable expression. He did that if he was shocked about something.

A low growl erupted from his throat, but she didn't stop her laughing. His gaze hardened with a glimmer of mischievousness in it. Neji abruptly flipped Tenten over on her back, suppressing her cry of surprise with a kiss. Reaching for their blanket, he locked his wife in his strong arms in a firm embrace and covered them up.

Tenten kissed his chin. "You're a naughty one."

Neji smirked, "It's what I'm known for." His eyes traveled to his two cats still playing on the floor. They pawed each other, swiping away wisps of fur from one another. Chopsticks pounced on Hanryo, but she dodged gracefully from under him and shook her fluffy head.

Their marriage consisted of just the two of them and their two cats. It was a quiet life together with other members of the Hyuuga family residing in different parts of the manor. Neji was highly respected as was Tenten. It took an impressive woman for the Hyuuga leader to marry.

The two of them did not have children yet; Tenten asked Neji to wait. She didn't feel like she was ready to mother a child then. Though disheartened, he understood and did not pressure her. That did not mean that they did not share intimate nights, in fact, it was just the opposite.

Both were honored shinobi, vitally important to the village. When Orochimaru was defeated, they thought that peace was finally going to be permanent. It proved to be very naïve to think so. Akatsuki were causing trouble again and this time, the threat was even more dangerous than Orochimaru.

Neji and Tenten lay in the dark, the moonlight illuminating certain parts of their room. Shadows soundlessly snuck across the walls. Husband and wife stared at the ceiling together, only dwelled in each other's arms.

The both of them didn't speak until Tenten broke the silence. "Are you afraid of the Akatsuki coming here, Neji?"

He loosened his arms around her and pulled away slightly to be able to see her face to face. "No."

She smiled sadly. "You're not afraid of anything. I've always admired that."

Neji grunted and shifted his head. "I don't pretend to be fearless, Tenten."

"You used to." She chuckled and sighed. "When we were still genins, you knew no fear. Up until the day you went after Sasuke, you weren't afraid of anything."

He didn't answer. The Hyuuga seemed to be thinking. "I was being arrogant. As a Hyuuga, one should have no fears. As a mere man, having such fears makes one stronger. All of us have learned that the hard way."'

"I don't think I've ever been as scared as I am now."

Neji looked at her in surprise but his expression melted into a smug one. "Why should you be? You're married to a Hyuuga."

She lightheartedly punched his chest. "I'm scared that I might lose you. That's what I'm afraid of."

Her husband took off one of his arms from her waist, where it had been situated, and grasped her hand firmly. His face was set into a serious appearance, his brows furrowed. "You won't lose me. I promise."

"Then you won't lose me either, Hyuuga Neji." She whispered in the dark of their room.

"Good." He said solemnly. "If I do lose you, who else is going to bear my children?"

She suddenly turned a little aggressive. "No one."

It was not a matter to take lightly, but his chuckle rumbled like thunder in her ear.

The couple lay on their futon together, sharing the warmth of their blanket and their bodies. Slyly, Neji slipped a hand underneath Tenten's sleeping yukata to caress a soft stomach. She startled and slapped at his hand, but relaxed at his sudden touch anyway.

"Like you said, I am a naughty one." He huskily, his voice alone stirring a curious passion inside of his wife. "Do you want to play, koishii?"

Tenten's reply was cut off by a hungry kiss. She embraced the passion-filled night. Her mind went hazy as she felt Neji's hot kisses travel lower.

The two cats gazed at the strangely "playing" couple with their wide orbs. Both curled up next to each other and drifted off to sleep.

* * *

**Author's notes: **Ah, another chapter finished. I hope you liked the romantic moments. I changed the rating, too. I thought it kind of got a little violent in the latter chapters. It's a mere safety precaution. Hopefully, you enjoyed this one. I thought it was stupid like the previous one. I can't seem to imagine anymore good, awesome scenes to write for you all. T-T

Neji x Tenten: I think I should congratulate myself on that one. Wow, it turned out better than I hoped.

Sakura x Sasuke: Anyone getting frustrated with them? I am. I can't decide on the right time when feelings are unraveled. I'll figure it out.

Once more, cats help make the Neji x Tenten moment flow better…or not…maybe it gets too random for you. Tell me and I'll take them out.

Thank you for all of your reviews! They are always appreciated!


	17. Part XVII

**Itonami**: I will never be a lemon writer. I wouldn't make a very good one if I even wanted to be one. No worries about a lemon being in this story. The previous chapter did give some lemon-ish implications, but I won't go any further than that.

Sorry for the long wait. Father-daughter moments here. Hope you enjoy.

Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Naruto.

* * *

Chapter 17

The sun shyly peeked over the horizon, its golden rays brightening up the village of Sand. The golden sand sparkled like diamonds in the sun. The heat was already becoming hotter.

"Oto-san! A strange man gave this scroll to me!" Setsuai cried as she sprinted towards her father.

Gaara's pale, aquamarine eyes narrowed at the sight of his daughter. Nothing seemed wrong with her. She still had dusty red hair which she inherited from him and her mother's violet eyes. Everything about the Kazekage's daughter was fine, except for the fact that he had left her with his wife in the opposite direction.

Instantly, the sand around the imposter shot up and wound itself around the body. Gaara approached without fear. He was only angry. Very angry.

"You dare trespass here imposing as the Kazekage's daughter?" He asked, his voice deadly low. The sand tightened when the imposter did not speak. "Who are you and what do you want?"

The form of his daughter slowly deteriorated and a man took her place. He looked unwaveringly at Gaara. "My master wishes to give this scroll to you."

A thin sliver of his sand from his gourd snaked out and retrieved the scroll trapped in the shinobi's hand. The scroll was gently placed in the Kazekage's outstretched hand. With the other, Gaara stretched it out in front of him and watched as the sand molded firmly around his prey. "_Sabaku Sousou. _Desert Coffin" He clamped his fist and the incredible pressure squeezed the life out of the unfortunate messenger of the Akatsuki.

Pieces of the body and blood speckled the sand. "Oto-san!" Gaara quickly blew sand over the mess at the sound of his real daughter.

Her red hair blew out from behind her as she ran to Gaara. She was holding a little basket in her two tiny hands. He couldn't help but smile a little at the little girl. "Oto-san, guess what? Oka-san and I made lunch for you!" She held out the basket proudly, her thin arms looking frail in her father's eyes.

"Hn." That was his way of saying thank you. His daughter understood his reserved, limited language perfectly. In fact, she could be quite fluent in it if she got mad at him or at her Uncle Kankurou. He took the basket carefully so not to disturb the contents inside. Usually, he took things offered to him by his sand, but he never did that with his family. His family meant a lot.

Setsuai looked down at her sand-covered feet shyly, her hands girlishly behind her back. Her toes wiggled in her sandals as they played with the smooth sand. "What is it, Setsuai?"

She looked startled at his deep, smooth voice. Looking up, she blushed. "Oto-san, can I go with you?"

Gaara was surprised and replied, "Go play," only to regret it as soon as the words left his mouth. She looked down at her feet again, this time to hide the hurt and the tears in her eyes.

"Hai, Oto-san." She whispered sadly, almost inaudibly.

She turned to go like a rejected puppy. The Kazekage found himself rushing towards her and picking her up. "Iie, aijou. I'm sorry."

Easily putting her on his shoulders, Gaara set off to the office of the Kazekage. He felt the uneasy tension in his hand which held the scroll from the messenger. News had been sent to him about Konohakagure's trouble with the new Akatsuki. It made him wonder if the nin whom he had just slain had been with the organization.

His theory was correct.

Setting his daughter on the floor to play quietly, he went to his desk to read the message writing in the scroll. When he broke the wax seal that held it shut, a bloody human heart fell out of it. The Kazekage was not affected by it, but he covered it with his foot, away from Setsuai's sight.

The message on the blood stained scroll read:

_Here and now, you find yourself,_

_Three, a half of the moon away,_

_From the third month of each year. _

_Leaves turn in panic from the wind,_

_Dust and sand will be scattered,_

_By three thousand flowers so red._

_Two demons will gather here,_

_A forest so hot and burning,_

_It will be so. _

_Two shall fight for life or death,_

_Which ever they shall choose,_

_Woe, woe, to those who oppose,_

_For the Akatsuki rules over all._

Gaara immediately stood, almost knocking over the chair. He whipped out a scroll from a drawer and took a writing brush. Swiftly yet gracefully writing a note to the Leaf, he whistled for the fastest messenger hawk.

Setsuai watched her father carefully, knowing that something was troubling him. Being only two years old, she didn't understand the look on his face. His face was set into a grim frown, very different from the ones that she had seen before, and he was actually getting restless. Her father never got restless. To give him some comfort, she decided to pace with him.

Chubby hands grasped his cloak and followed his quick pace around the office. The Kazekage suddenly stopped at the extra weight added. He looked down to find his daughter with a huge smile on her face and she rubbed her face into his leg. Her short arms encircled his knee—Setsuai didn't even come up to his hip yet—and she hugged him. "Don't worry, Oto-san. Desert flowers will grow again in the spring."

Gaara crouched, expertly shifting his weight evenly on the balls of his feet. Pale jade eyes found the two small red tattoos on the left side of her neck which said, "deep love." He slowly but completely embraced her, his daughter's small frame easily fitting against him.

"Thank you." He said, knowing that he hardly uttered the words to anyone besides Naruto and his wife. His daughter was truly one to deserve him saying those two words.

"You're welcome, Oto-san." She giggled against his neck. "You smell funny."

Gaara raised an invisible eyebrow. "Oh?" No one had ever said he smelled funny. Even his own, precious wife had never said anything about him being smelly. Letting her go, Setsuai grinned at him cheekily.

"I think you are the best Kazekage in the world!" She declared pompously, her eyes closed in a matter-of-fact way.

Not to mention the only Kazekage in the world. But his eyes gave off his pleasure at her words.

He remembered the day his daughter was born into the world. Haruno Sakura of the Leaf had come to help with the delivery. It was she who announced that he had a brand new baby girl who weighed six pounds and five ounces, with a shock of flaming red hair and beautiful amethyst eyes. The shock of becoming a father was still lingering in his system.

_Flashback…_

"_Kazekage-sama, you can go in and see your wife and daughter now." Sakura said brightly. "Everything is fine. The mother and child are both perfectly healthy."_

_When he first walked in, the first thing Gaara noticed were the sweat on his wife's face and then the red hair of a small bundle in her arms. _

_Walking in calmly, he had disguised his secret excitement and anxiety with his most neutral face._

"_What will you name her?" She whispered so not to disturb the sleeping babe. _

_Gaara sat without a word on the edge of the bed and asked for permission to hold his daughter with his eyes. His wife held out the bundle and he took it so carefully, so gently that Naruto would have accused Gaara of being an imposter. He was startled when the baby let out a gurgling sound and opened her eyes. _

_Sakura had been right. Her eyes were a deep violet color, sparkling like jewels in the light. The sight of his daughter took his breath away. Gaara felt something swell inside of him. "She will be Setsuai. Sabaku no Setsuai. The Sand's deepest love…you are my child." He whispered. _

_His wife had tears in her eyes as she witnessed her husband's softest moment. She sat up and leaned in to kiss Gaara's temple. He gazed at her and his face crumbled a little into a light smile. Setsuai reached out and grasped her father's finger firmly. _

_Truly that had been the happiest day of his life._

_End of flashback…_

The scroll was obviously written in a strange word puzzle of some sort. It was a message of warning from the Akatsuki, but Konoha had declared the group extinct thanks to Naruto and his ANBU team. Were they mistaken?

"Gaara!" A very familiar voice boomed from outside his office door. It slammed open, one rebounding off the wall and partially blocking the Kazekage's older brother from view.

"Otooji-san!" Setsuai shrieked, temporarily disabling Gaara's ability to hear.

"Setsu-chan!" The uncle roared. She leapt into his arms and he threw her up in the air. In an inhuman speed, sand quickly and carefully caught Setsuai from the air and transported her back to her father's side, who quickly put his hand on her shoulder gently.

Gaara looked at his brother out of the corner of his eye while he had his body turned to the side. Kankurou knew that look. "Hai, hai, I know. You told me not to do that a million times before." He chuckled, only to deepen Gaara's displeasure. "You can't protect her from me forever, Gaara." He winked at his niece.

"Yes, but I can either die trying or kill you." Gaara replied, his voice almost smug. Of course, the younger brother did not mean such a threat so seriously. When Kankurou had been overly excited about his new niece and approached the crib without Gaara's permission, he had almost been killed… "Accidentally," Gaara had said without emotion. That had not been the most pleasant of experiences.

However, the two brothers were actually very close, though the Kazekage never would never admit to such a thing. Kankurou easily teased and joked with the impassive brother, only to receive a look which made him laugh.

But today, it was not a day to be joking. The puppeteer grew serious. "Our representatives in the Leaf have been alerted of a crisis. The Akatsuki has been established again. If they're after the Kyuubi, they'll come back for you, too."

"I know." Gaara said quietly. He commanded his sand to recover the scroll on his desk.

Kankurou read it quickly and his brows furrowed deeply and worriedly. "Did you send word to Konoha?"

Gaara nodded. "It should be there in a day or so."

The elder brother let out a breath. "Damn." He murmured softly and he gazed at nothing.

"I see that the both of you aren't bickering. Alert the presses." A feminine voice drawled sardonically from the doorway.

Temari sarcastic look was replaced by a sweet, sincere smile when she spotted Setsuai. She walked to her niece and patted her head. "Hey, kiddo."

"Read." Gaara pointed to the message in Kankurou's hand.

The sister of the sibling trio snatched the message and skimmed through it. Her head snapped up and her eyes flashed angrily. "How did you get this? By hawk?"

Gaara shook his head. "By messenger. He pretended to be Setsuai."

The two looked shaken. "There could be more of them."

"Iie." The Kazekage looked out the window from his office. Houses made from sand were in full view. "The Akatsuki don't plan to attack now."

"What do you suggest we do, then, Kazekage-sama?" Temari asked formally.

He turned to meet their gazes. "We wait," he said simply, "for Konoha's answer."

* * *

_Hidden Village of Leaf_

_12 Hours later…_

The piercing screech of a hawk interrupted the noise of the Konoha festival. Villagers and onlookers pointed to the sky and gasped. But the hawk was oblivious to the spectators below and soared directly to the Hokage Tower. It gave off another screech as it perched on the window of Tsunade's office, where jounins were gathered for a briefing.

Tsunade immediately went to the bird and untied the letter attached to its leg.

She started to read aloud:

"To the allied Hidden Village of the Leaf,

From the allied Hidden Village of the Sand,

We are in need to reinforcements. The Akatsuki have sent a message threatening the Sand. As allies, I, Sabaku no Gaara, the Kazekage, ask for your aid in defending our villages. Send word as soon as possible."

Tsunade finished and sighed heavily. "Now it has spread to the Sand."

Shikamaru, as the tactics director, spoke up. "The riddle is quite simple. The problem is to come up with the perfect defense and offense. My team and I have figured out this much from the puzzle:

"First, the second line and third lines, _Three, a half a moon away_, _from the third month of each year_, is referring to the date. Since the moon has a monthly orbit around earth, the second line is naming three and a half weeks. We put that together with the third line, which obviously tells of the month of March. So the official date that the Akatsuki is planning to attack is exactly three and a half weeks into March."

Everyone scribbled on their notepads. The Godaime nodded for him to continue. Shikamaru took a deep breath and started on the second piece of information. "The fourth and fifth lines mention leaves and sand. I presume that those would be us and the Sand. The sixth line says, _by three thousand so red,_ which I assume to be the Akatsuki themselves. Now we know their number."

Again, the jounins gathered at the meeting quickly wrote on their notepads. "By _Two demons will gather here_…since the Akatsuki's main goal is to capture the Kyuubi, I believe they are after Gaara, the Kazekage, also. They plan to lure the two carriers" –Shikamaru shot an apologetic look towards Naruto at mentioning the word—"and then the next line, _A forest so hot and burning_… From what we can conclude this is the place where they want to fight. They want to fight at the Houka(1) Forest."

There were a few gasps of disbelief scattered throughout the room. "That forest hasn't even been remotely inhabited over the last hundred years. Why the hell would they want to fight in there?"

Shikamaru shrugged. "Legend of that place draws curious people to it. I guess that's where they want to make another legend." He whisked questions into silence with his hand and closed his eyes. "Anyway, this battle," he opened his eyes to look at all of them, "is a fight to the death. Obviously we choose to live. The other will have to die."

Sakura listened to the words of Shikamaru, sitting between Lee and Naruto. Much to her disappointment, Sasuke was standing in the back of the room with his arms crossed over his chest, listening intently. Every so often, his eyes would flicker to the pink haired jounin sandwiched between the "Beautiful Green Beast" and Naruto.

The meeting was adjourned after Shikarmaru completed explaining all the tactics and thoughts that he had about the Akatsuki. Nara Shikamaru was a very accomplished jounin in the strategy and tactics unit. He would have been too lazy to bother with a jounin exam, but Ino and Chouji eventually persuaded him to take it.

"Sakura-san, why don't we get a bowl of ramen at lunch?" Lee asked as everyone shuffled out of the room. He was busy picking up his pencil and paper to notice the hesitancy in Sakura's voice.

"I'll have to say no this time, Lee-san. I want to talk to Tsunade-sama." She smiled apologetically, which automatically got her forgiven. "See you later, Lee-san!"

She scurried off to where Tsunade was briefly talking with Sasuke. He looked solemn and nodded occasionally at her words. As soon as Sakura came up to them, the discussion came to an end and Sasuke took his leave. As the two of them passed each other, Sasuke gave her a slight smile and she returned it with a bigger one.

Sakura watched him gracefully exit and turned to Tsunade, who looked at her mischievously. The pupil placed her hands on her hips and scowled playfully. "What?"

The Godaime shrugged carelessly. "Oh, nothing, at all, dear pupil of mine." She winked. "He is _devilishly_ handsome, isn't he?"

That earned her a playful smack on the arm. "You wish, Tsunade-sensei."

The two women shared a laugh. Sakura was still grinning when she started speaking, "Can I get a favor out of you?"

The elder woman made a mocking thinking face. "Depends on what it is."

"Hey! I'm serious!"

"Yeah, yeah, anything. I'm listening." The Hokage bent down to the petite jounin.

"Will you give me a leading part in the battle plans?"

"I'm already putting you in charge of the medic unit." Tsunade frowned.

But the rosy haired pupil shook her head. "Give me free reign to go anywhere I feel that I am needed. Please?"

Tan eyes probed deeply into soft, emerald ones. "Are you worried about Naruto and Sasuke?"

Sakura looked down at her feet and slowly nodded. "I won't lose either of them again. I promised myself a long time ago."

Tsunade looked sternly at her. "You have a responsibility, Sakura. You can't just abandon them when you are worried. Naruto and Sasuke are both very capable of handling themselves. You're responsibility is to look after as much of the wounded as possible. _Lives _depend on your skills."

The student looked up quickly. "Hai, I know."

"Then you understand that I can't grant permission. Sakura," the blonde haired woman's eyes softened a little, "I need you to be the head medic. There will be a lot of inexperienced ninjas there. There will constantly be news coming to and fro the battle grounds. Will you be there?"

Sakura closed her eyes painfully and nodded. "Yes, Tsunade-sama. My duty as a medic comes first."

"Now, get going. Someone seems to be waiting for you outside." Tsunade said in a sage voice.

The pink-haired apprentice walked out, feeling a bit dejected and depressed. She did not notice the other figure leaning against the wall coolly.

Sasuke frowned a little when she didn't seem to see him, being too distracted by her thoughts. "Yo."

Sakura actually jumped back a couple of meters away, frightened and surprised by his voice. "Sasuke! You scared me!"

"You were the one mindlessly not paying attention to where you were going." He drawled bluntly. He pointed to a pole she would have walked directly into if he hadn't called her.

Sakura flushed as the embarrassment sank in. She brightly rebounded and smiled at him prettily. "What are you doing here?"

A smile slipped itself onto Sasuke's lips. "I thought you'd be hungry."

Her eyes widened and her grin completely reached her eyes. "Is the great Uchiha Sasuke asking me out on a _date_?" She teased, savoring the moment.

His smile dropped off and he did his best to scowl darkly. He only half succeeded. The other half of his scowling effort was automatically put into creating an embarrassed blush on his cheek. He had to look away.

"Oh, Sasuke! Lighten up! I was only kidding!" She peered up at his handsome face. "Ne? I'm starving."

He couldn't help but smile again. "Naruto is at Ichiraku." He led the way, matching her patient pace. She liked the feeling of being close to Sasuke and the fact that he was comfortable with her. More than once, she caught him looking at her in a peculiar way.

"What did Tsunade-sama say to you?" He asked, breaking the silence between them.

She smiled sadly. "She said that I am going to be the head of the medical unit."

"That's what you wanted, wasn't it?" He was confused at her sad tone.

"Definitely. It's a dream come true."

"Don't be sarcastic." The Uchiha gazed at her unwaveringly.

She stuck out her tongue childishly. "I'm not. It's just that, if I'm in charge of the medics, then I need to stay behind for the wounded. I can't be there for you or Naruto."

"It's your duty to be a medic." Sasuke tipped his face to the sky. "Naruto and I will be fine."

It hurt to hear him say that. She felt exactly as she did when they were all genins, when she had been that useless girl with only brains to help. "I'm always left behind, aren't I? Maybe I should just accept fate like Hyuuga Neji and stop trying." Whenever she felt like that twelve-year old girl, she always had very un-Sakura-like moments. This happened to be one of them, but Sasuke had caught every word.

The young man grabbed her by the shoulders and she stared into his fathomless eyes. "Don't say that." His voice was low and an inch away from her ear. "If you do, I won't pay for your ramen."

Absolutely childish and immature.

Was that supposed to be some sort of threat? Sakura couldn't help but giggle. Uchiha Sasuke just threatened to not pay for her bowl of ramen.

"May I remind you, Uchiha-san, that you were the one who invited me to eat in the first place?" They were still in the same position with Sasuke leaning down and his face was hovering very close next to hers.

Sasuke's black eyes flashed. "I just asked if you were hungry. You assumed I was asking you to eat." Sakura could hear the smirk on his face.

"And what is a lady supposed to assume, then, Uchiha-san?"

He didn't know how to answer that. She chuckled in her throat. "I win."

"For now." He said while smirking, as they started walking again. "For now, Sakura."

* * *

**Author's notes: **Sorry for the lateness! Again! I can't type these ideas out of my head. As you requested, some more SasuSaku moments.I apologize for the MAD amount of grammer mistakes here. I just wanted to get this chapter out to you all before you forgot about me! T-T

Gaara and his daughter…cute? Not cute? The Akatsuki riddle was stupid……yeah….

I hope you liked it. I tried my best. If you didn't like it, you can flame and type the following:

YOU SUCK! I HATE YOU AND YOUR STUPID CATS! GO ROT IN HELL, YOU CRAPPY WRITER!

Ok? Ok. Haha, just kidding. Don't do that. That would hurt my self-esteem.


	18. Part XVIII

**Itonami: 400+ reviews! **

This chapter is dedicated to: For all of the reviewers that have incessantly and encouragingly told me to continue this story. Thank you ALL! MUCHO MUCHO MUCHO!

As my gift to offer at your feet, I have written this chapter that will hopefully leave you content and happy. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Naruto.

* * *

Chapter 18

The night was getting colder. Uchiha Sasuke didn't seem very bothered by the dropping temperatures. He sat on a branch of a tree, leaning against the sturdy trunk as he looked blankly at the pale, white moon residing in its place in the sky. It was hours before that Sakura had departed to her own apartment after eating. She thanked for the meal and briefly laid a tender hand on his shoulder before leaving.

Semiconsciously he put his own hand where she had made innocent contact on his shoulder. Her warmth had burned through his shirt, leaving him suddenly cold and longing when she left. Sasuke shook his head to clear his thoughts, a part of him shocked at himself for feelings such a way.

"What are you doing here, teme?"

Sasuke spared Naruto a glance down. "I couldn't sleep."

"You never sleep." Naruto scoffed. He jumped up to the same branch easily and sat down. After testing the safety of the branch, the blonde sighed. "Sakura seems happy, doesn't she?"

Sasuke nodded and made a musing sound. Naruto stretched from his place and exhaled deeply. "You know I'm getting married?" The blonde headed shinobi blurted out, earning him a shocked glance from his friend.

The surprised expression melted away in a funny-looking one. "Hyuuga…Hinata?" He inquired carefully and hesitantly. Naruto bobbed his head ecstatically. "Did she lose her eyesight?"

At this, Naruto did a face-fault. "Bastard, I could kick your ass." He snarled.

Sasuke scoffed. "Only because I don't have my chakra right now."

Uzumaki crossed his arms and looked away with his nose in the air. "Hinata-chan loves me. Hyuuga Neji is going to be my best man. You're not invited." Blowing a raspberry, Naruto burst out laughing at his own actions. "If you don't come, I'm afraid I'll have to kill you."

"I'd like to see you try, dobe."

"I don't need to try."

"It takes more than Kage Bunshin to lay a hand on me."

"You are such a conceited bastard."

"You are just a loud-mouth that talks too loud."

"Will you two stop squabbling? You'll wake up the entire village." An annoyed voice snapped from below them. The two men looked down to see a sleepy looking Haruno Sakura, who had arms wrapped around herself to keep warm.

"Sakura-chan, what's up? Why aren't you sleeping?" Naruto asked with a pleasant smile which did not match the medic's mood.

Sakura glared up. "I would be in my bed sleeping soundly, but there were these two pompous assholes up in a tree who didn't know how to shut up. Now, I'm down here, looking up at those pompous assholes and getting ready to beat the shit out of them."

The two men of the legendary Team 7 winced at her tone of voice. Why did women have to be so grouchy when disturbed from their beauty sleep?

"Make some room, I'm coming up." She stated very tartly, instantly making her teammates budging to make room. Sakura situated herself in between them, the way they used to when they were younger.

Only in her pajamas and a light jacket, Sakura was ill prepared for the cool night. The three fell into silence as they gazed at the starry heavens. Delicately, she slowly closed her hands on each of theirs, squeezing them for comfort. Sasuke looked at their hands. Again, her hand radiated heat which seemed to make his blood grow hot. The coldness was gone.

"Sakura, you should sleep. There's no need to stay here."

The young woman threw him a look. "You can't get rid of me that easily anymore, Uchiha Sasuke."

His face was set in a defensive expression. "I'm not trying to get rid of you."

Sakura was about to retort when Naruto interrupted. "You two argue like sissies." That remark ended in two lumps on his head.

Rubbing his head sheepishly, Naruto stayed with his two close friends as they exchanged small, awkward bits of conversation. Sasuke was never the talker so the remaining pair made up for it. Besides, the Uchiha liked listened better than talking anyway. It had always been that way.

With the three of them all grown up, they barely fit on the branch they were sitting, but the mindsets of all three did not belong in the present. All three were reminiscing of the old times, when Konoha was a place of peace and joy, not of war and gloom of many friends lost. Naruto shared his favorite moments of Team 7, as did Sakura, but they all avoided the topic of Orochimaru and the curse seal. Slowly, their past caught up with the present.

Reality returned to them, disappointing them into quietness once more.

"Tsunade-sama wants a meeting a week after tomorrow." Sakura whispered.

"Save me a seat." Naruto said, winking at his roseate-haired companion.

"Me too." Sasuke spoke up in his low voice.

Naruto and Sakura looked at him in surprise. He quickly added, "You have to admit, it's better than sitting next me than that taijutsu specialist."

And the two agreed vigorously. Sakura laughed. "Lee-san is a wonderful person. It's just that he gets overly excited about simple things in life. I think we should all learn from him."

"I already appreciate the little, simple things in life." Naruto declared, sticking out his chest proudly, which he almost lost his balance on the branch.

"Same here." Sasuke replied quietly again.

Sakura smiled at the two of them. "I'm afraid I don't. The all the important things that I care about aren't small and simple."

The kunoichi of Team 7 had always been the more mature one (to some extent). Sasuke was the quiet one while Naruto was the boastful one. But they all complemented each other in certain ways.

Five years ago, the team split up to follow their own dreams, which were all the same: they all wanted to get stronger. Sakura had been tired of watching her teammates' backs all the time, Naruto wanted to bring back Sasuke and knock some sense into him, and Sasuke wanted strength to fulfill his goal of revenge. Their general goal that brought them together had led them down different paths, separating them.

However, now the three shinobi were all there, in the same tree, with their dreams completed and finished. They were one again. Sakura had almost given up that hope of them being reunited again. She was glad that she didn't let go.

"Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto exclaimed loudly. She snapped out of her reverie and looked straight ahead to make out a tall figure on the branch in front of them.

"Yo." His lazy voice was friendly and full of mirth.

"You're returning now?" Sakura inquired, happy to see their former sensei again.

He could be seen nodding his head. "Just a scout mission. Nothing dangerous. I bet you all missed me, didn't you?"

Sakura giggled. "Of course, Kakashi-sensei. We're glad you're not hurt."

The silver-haired jounin scratched his head. "I've got to get going. Genma is taking me out for a drink."

With a slight wave of his hand, the Copy Ninja disappeared with a strong puff of smoke. Sakura lightly wisped away some of the smoke that clouded around her vision and sighed. "He is never going to change, is he?"

Sasuke chuckled deeply. "I heard that he's still the bachelor around here."

"Oh, yeah, definitely. There is no question about that. Kakashi still indulge his eyes in that perverted orange book. Speaking of which," Sakura's sea foam eyes glared at Naruto, "why can't you tell Jiraya-sama to stop writing those?"

The blonde gave his foxy grin. "I tried, but he told me that there are men out there in need of his books."

Team 7 scoffed loudly simultaneously. It was nice to not think of the upcoming Akatsuki battle. There would only be chaos in the village. The Konoha Festival entertained many, and the ninjas could do nothing but enjoy it.

It was the blonde ninja who broke the silence. "Look, I think I should go back. I need to rest up since Hinata-chan is going to meet me tomorrow in the morning to do some shopping for a party for her little sister." Naruto winced at the mention of the younger Hyuuga sibling. "That girl is such a bitch when it comes to me. She despises me."

Sakura sighed wearily. "Naruto, you dyed her hair hot pink when you went over to the Hyuugas' household."

He grinned. "That was funny, wasn't it?"

"Go on, get out of here. Hinata would be disappointed if you overslept." Sakura teased gently.

Naruto jumped down and waved as he sprinted towards his apartment. Sakura watched her friend leave until he was not visible in the darkness. She felt Sasuke shift slightly beside her. Their hands were still intertwined, but neither made a move to take their hand away.

Sasuke's breaths quickened a little yet he didn't know why. The kunoichi beside him was currently looking up through the trees. His eyes wouldn't obey his mind to look away. His charcoal eyes were stuck, frozen as they gazed upon Sakura's flawless face and her apple-green orbs. Slowly, Sakura turned to meet his gaze, her eyes startlingly piercing and sad. Her lips slightly spread into a smile. Their eyes held each other, Sasuke not daring to look elsewhere.

As if in a daze, the Uchiha reached out with his free hand and tenderly brushed away stray strands of hair from her hair. She did not blush or move at his touch. When he tucked one behind her left ear, his keen eyes spotted a small scar.

"How did you get this?" He breathed, leaning in closer to inspect the healed wound. Sakura touched it.

"I don't know. It was a long time ago."

"Aa…" He trailed off and took his hand away.

Sakura smiled wider. "Is that all you can say, Uchiha Sasuke?"

He smirked in the night and knew she could see it. "Why say anything more?"

The pink-haired kunoichi pulled his hand closer to her body. Something hot jolted inside Sasuke. "If you could, would you change what you have now?"

He entertained the question for a minute. "I would want my family alive."

"Your brother, too?"

Again, another pause. "Yes, my brother also."

This time, Sakura didn't say anything. "I can't imagine what it feels like to lose family." Sasuke gave no indication of interrupting. "Both of my parents are alive—they're retired—and I have no siblings. What I'm trying to say is, Sasuke, it's that I can understand why you wanted to avenge your clan. When we were just gennins, the thought of losing my parents had never occurred to me, and I never thought about how I'd feel if I did lose them. I'm sorry for not understanding, Sasuke."

The raven-haired ninja remained silent. He suddenly cocked his head quirkily to one side and raised an eyebrow. "You say those words too much."

Sakura lifted her head to look at him better. "Say what words?"

"'I'm sorry.' It's annoying." He stated bluntly.

She hugged his hand to her chest while she laced her fingers with his. "Did your mother tell you stories of how she met your father?" She smiled.

Sasuke looked away feeling a little uncomfortable. He finally nodded. "They had an arranged marriage," he seemed to be slipping away from reality as he relayed the story of his mother and father, he was smiling as he continued, "but my mother said that she loved him anyway. They only met once before the actual wedding and it was the first time they saw each other. O-Oto-san told me that my mother was very pretty. I believe my mother used the term, 'love at first sight.'"

The young woman listening giggled. "So they were happy with their marriage…"

"Oto-san and Oka-san were happy. They raised Itachi and five years later, they had me."

The Uchiha felt better that he had gotten a personal story off his chest. It felt good. Venturing out of curiosity, Sasuke scooted closer to Sakura. "How did your parents meet?"

She closed her eyes and thought hard. "When they were young, my mother was always teased because of her wide forehead. One day, my father defended her and sent two guys to the hospital. That day was the first day she began to fall for him. After that incident, they became close. My father proposed to her on their seventh date."

The two in the tree fell silent, while Sakura was holding Sasuke's hand against her and he was sitting next to her.

Sakura wished the night would stay cold. Sasuke wished he could hold her closer. Sakura wished with all her might that he would let her into his life again. Sasuke wished with all his might that he could be a part of her life again.

Their wishes would come true.

Sasuke gradually encircled an arm around her and pulled her close. She did not resist but gave in. "I still love you, Sasuke. You know that, right?" She whispered desperately. Sakura felt his hot breath against her neck.

"I don't deserve you, Sakura. You know that, right?" Sasuke murmured in his low, tenor pitch going husky.

His arms tightened around her shoulders, embracing her possessively and carefully. "When the time comes, I'll make you mine." His words made her shiver.

_Why not now, Sasuke? Kami-sama, why not now?_

"Let's go. I'll walk you back to your place." He easily landed on the ground and looked up at her. "Coming? I'll catch you." He raised an arm to her, signaling her to go ahead.

In the moonlight, he could see her smile and reached down to grasp his hand. Sasuke gently pulled her off the branch, allowing her to softly land against his chest. He didn't let go of her immediately but lingered in that position. Sakura wrapped her arms over his shoulders. It was Sasuke who let go first.

"Are you alright?" He asked softly.

"I'm fine. Thank you."

"It's cold, isn't it?" He asked, almost offhandedly, but pulled her to his side. It was a perfect fit.

Sasuke and Sakura walked towards her apartment and stopped at the door of her room. Sakura gazed up timidly and flashed him a dazzling smile. "You really didn't have to come with me. You should go and rest. I'll be fine now."

The Uchiha's lips turned upwards in his half-smile. He slowly walked away, his hands shoved into his pockets characteristically. Sakura watched him go and closed the door quietly. Breathing out a sigh, Sakura smiled at the ceiling.

Glancing at the clock mounted on her wall, she saw that it was four. Time passed quickly. Leaping into her bed, Sakura pulled the covers over her head and giggled girlishly to herself.

Sasuke opened the door to his own apartment and stretched languidly. It had been a good night. He could almost say that he was giddy—or at least, as giddy as an Uchiha could get. Something inside of him was getting ready to burst.

"I was wondering when you'd be home."

In less than a second, Sasuke reached for a hidden kunai, only to hear the laughter of his intruder. "I thought you weren't allowed weapons in your possession."

"It doesn't matter." Sasuke growled.

"I could report this, you know."

"How did you get in here?"

The intruder stood from the chair which he had occupied. The light was out and neither desired to turn it on. "Are you underestimating my ninja skills? The fact that I was able to get in here is the important thing. It's not of any concern of yours find out how I got in here."

"Who are you?" Sasuke crouched, getting ready to strike.

"Who I am is a trivial matter. Why don't we talk about your girlfriend…Haruno Sakura, I believe her name is?"

"She is of no concern to me." He said stiffly.

"Now, now, Uchiha, there's no need to deny anything. Just now, you shared such an intimate night together."

There was no reply from Sasuke. He remained quiet as his mind whirled with plans to kill this intruder.

"She's sleeping peacefully now, if you wondered. There are four of my men watching her. At my signal, any one of them could slip in there unnoticed and—"

Midnight black orbs flashed madly as Uchiha Sasuke slammed the stranger into the wall, a resounding thud echoing in the room. His keen eyes spotted his kunai which lay discarded beside him. Picking it up, he was about to shove it into the neck of the intruder, but a strong hand stopped the fatal blow from behind. Whirling to face the second offender, he blinked at the sudden amount of light that became available in the room.

Kakashi had flicked the light switch.

"_You_!" Sasuke hissed. He jerked his hand away and spun to see the one he was about to kill.

Naruto grinned like a maniac. "That was good, wasn't it? I scared the _shit_ out of you, Sasuke-teme!" He roared with laughter while Kakashi's eye crinkled with his own silent amusement.

"That was _not _funny, dobe." Sasuke snarled dangerously.

"You really like Sakura, don't you? Ne, ne? Admit it!" Naruto glee-filled voice grated on the Uchiha's nerves.

"Shut up. I'm going to sleep."

"When's the wedding, teme?" The blonde joked and Sasuke glared at him.

Sasuke's dark locks covered his eyes. "I'll kill you tomorrow." His obsidian eyes glared their next target. "I can't believe you were in this, too."

Kakashi shrugged. "Naruto just asked me to stop you if you went out of control. I had nothing to do with it."

Naruto's mirthful face changed into one of horror. He pointed accusingly at his former sensei. "Liar! You were the one who came up with this entire thing in the first place, you pervert!"

Sasuke sighed and rubbed his hair. He walked into his lonely bedroom and slammed the door shut, locking it firmly. Falling on the mattress, Sasuke shut out the arguments of Naruto and Kakashi. Letting his mind revert to images of Sakura, he fell into a nice, comfortable sleep.

No more nightmares to bother him anymore.

* * *

**Author's notes:** Ah, another chapter finished. Hope you liked it! Thank you again for all of your reviews! Love you!

Someone commented that the Neji x Tenten pairing was better than the main Sasuke x Sakura pairing. About that…um…yeah…

Well, I hope this chapter proved that my SasuSaku pairing rocks more than the Neji x Tenten one. I took the advice of a reviewer telling me that I should get working on revealing the SasuSaku feelings before the Akatsuki.

Yes, I know, the Akatsuki thing is WAY overdue, but I'm having too much fun with the other romance parts. The next chapter won't have Akatsuki either. Gomen, gomen! Don't kill me, I know you all are waiting for it. Let me develop the romance first.

Once again, thank you for your constant support! I'll keep writing!


	19. Part XIX

**Itonami:** Chapter 19 at your service! Read it and tell me what you think, ne?

Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Naruto.

* * *

Chapter 19

It was already a week into March and the weather was surprisingly nice and warm. Sakura lightly hummed to herself as she packed several half-filled bentous with tempura and riceballs. The Godaime decided that everyone could have a picnic at the park since they had been blessed with such wonderful weather. Another unstated reason was to keep their minds off of the growing Akatsuki battle for a little while. They all deserved that.

Sakura neatly stacked the lunchboxes on top of each other and turned to put them in her basket.

"Oof!" She turned but only to bump right into a solid body belonging to another.

"Need help?" A deep voice asked, large, calloused hands taking some of the load in her arms.

Sasuke smiled when Sakura grinned and nodded. He put them in her basket. The two stood back and surveyed the handiwork. "Perfect." Sakura stated and dusted imaginary dust from her hands. "Come on, we'll be late."

Grabbing her picnic lunch made for her friends, she led Sasuke out of the apartment towards the park. The two of them made out the tall form of Hyuuga Neji and his wife near Naruto and Hinata. To their surprise, the Kazekage was there with his family and siblings. Waving a hand and calling their names, Sakura captured the attention of all four present at their picnic location.

Neji bowed courteously to the approaching couple with Tenten's arms looped with his. Gaara was situating himself between Temari and Kankurou who were both arguing and ready to eat each other's head. Naruto was playing a hand game with Setsuai while Hinata and Gaara's wife watched.

"Sakura, did you make that for all of us?" Tenten asked, looking at the big bundle in the pink-haired woman's arms.

Hinata carefully helped with unpacking the food while the men conversed quietly. "Hinata-chan, where's Ino and Shikamaru?"

The Hyuuga woman looked around. "She said that they were going to be late. I don't know what she is doing."

Their little gathering began, the women giggling and talking about the latest news around Konoha, while the men discussed weapon brands and techniques. It was by noon when Sasuke felt that something was amiss. Slowly twisting at his waist to look around his surroundings, and found what he was missing.

"Where is Sakura?" He asked suddenly.

Hinata smiled. "She went off to look for some wild flowers. She went that way." She pointed to the right behind her.

Sasuke, for some reason, did not feel very secure with her gone. Standing up, he excused himself first and headed off in the direction which Hinata pointed to. Brushing past some bushes he stopped. Something was watching him. Without his chakra, Sasuke couldn't really pinpoint who it was, though it did feel familiar. The eerie sense of being watched sent an involuntary shiver down his neck. A ninja's paranoia about being ambushed was still very much alive in Sasuke's system. Everyone looked at him curiously. What was he doing?

Without warning, a blur suddenly launched out of the greenery and tackled Sasuke by the midsection. There was no time to react. The petite figure on top of him aggressively tried to pin him on the grass, but the man obviously overpowered her. The Uchiha flipped them over, only to be back on the bottom. They continued doing so until he won.

Sakura was giggling breathlessly, her cheeks warm and pink due to the amount of energy she had used trying to fight Sasuke. He looked at her and his face was set into an emotionless expression. Worried, Sakura was about to speak when clear, beautiful laughter interrupted her. She blinked.

Uchiha Sasuke was _laughing_.

His laughter was alluring and breathtaking, a mature sound that started in the base of throat. Truly, it was a forbidden melody. It rang in her ears like deep chimes. His handsome face was smiling fully, not the half-smile that he always had, but a full smile that reached his black eyes. He had clearly enjoyed her childlike antics. Gradually, his laughing subsided and he was still smiling softly as he looked into her crisp eyes.

"You almost caught me." He whispered. Sasuke was still on top of her, his hand cradling the back of her head carefully and away from the ground. His other hand slipped down her arm as he leaned quite close to her. Her supple body was pressed against his muscular, lean body initiating small waves of pleasure through both of them.

"Get a room, you two!" Naruto shouted, covering Setsuai's eyes to hide them from the scene.

"We should get up." Sakura said quietly and waited for him to get up first.

Standing swiftly stood and without waiting for the pink-haired kunoichi to get up, he scooped her up gracefully in his arms. Stunned beyond words, Sakura's eyes merely went wide with astonishment. He started to walk away from the picnic.

"Oi, what are you doing, teme?" The blonde cupped his hands around his mouth to project his voice louder.

"Getting a room." Sasuke said simply while he shrugged effortlessly with Sakura in his arms.

"Sasuke!" The woman in his arms playfully punched his chest and swung her slender legs. "Let me down!"

Sighing in resignation, Sasuke set her down. She led him back to where everyone was sitting. Neji smirked. "There is something called marriage, Uchiha."

The old Sasuke returned as he glared at the Hyuuga patriarch. "Yes, I'm aware of that."

Tenten tugged on Neji sleeve, causing him to turn and look at her with his pearly orbs. She was smiling as she pointed to his right. Following her finger, he saw what she was seeing. Coming towards them was a family of cats in a strict single-file line, from oldest to youngest. Chopsticks was first, walking with his tail held high, as Hanryo trailed gracefully behind her mate, and four little kittens trotted eagerly in the wake of their parents. One was completely snow white except for a little tip of its tail. The second was half brown and half white; its head was brown with white tipped ears. The third was trying to walk and play with its sibling's tail at the same time. It was like its father; a dusty brown in color and a white stripe lining its back. The last kitten was so tiny as it struggled to keep up with its family. It was mainly white and brown patches spotted its body randomly.

Neji smiled at the brand new family of cats. The litter of kittens had been born only a month or so ago. Chopsticks was the proud father of four fine kittens and the Hyuuga had been happy to observe new life growing in the compound. Tenten cuddled two of the kittens. The smallest kitten, who Neji had named Kosai, strayed immediately to Setsuai. Gaara, being overprotective again, created a small wall of sand blocking its way. Mewing loudly, Kosai tried to evade the wall of sand.

"Teishu, it won't hurt her. Let it go. Setsuai needs some friends." His wife said in her quiet, yet awfully persuasive voice. The Kazekage looked uncertain but let down his guard.

The little kitten dashed to the little girl and purred excitedly as Setsuai began to pet it. "Oto-san, look!" She held out the kitten for him to touch, which he did only to please his daughter.

A sneeze took place.

Sabaku no Gaara sneezed of allergies. To a cat.

Everyone became deathly silent. Then everyone burst out laughing. Gaara glared at the cat. He was different from the rest of them; they didn't have the responsibility of being Kazekage. The cat was ruining his stern image.

Neji and Sasuke were chuckling while everyone else was hilariously rolling on the floor, tears streaming from their eyes. Tenten clutched her husband's arm for some support to keep herself from flopping helplessly on the ground with laughter. Sakura and Hinata were holding each other and laughing freely. Naruto was howling with laughter while disrespectfully pointing a finger at the displeased Sand nin. Meanwhile, Temari and Kankurou had gotten over their argument and were laughing also.

The bout of laughter finally died off and all were panting from extreme exhaustion of laughter. Gaara resisted the urge to kill everyone who had witnessed his moment of humiliation. Weakness was not tolerated by the Kazekage.

It was until late evening that everyone decided to head home. The Hyuugas left first with their cats following them. The Kazekage and his family departed to their temporary residence in the village. The rest went after saying good bye to each other.

Sasuke and Sakura stayed behind to pack up the empty lunchboxes away. The sun was setting behind the horizon, the last of its gleaming rays giving away into darkness. The park was now vacant besides the only two occupants in the middle of it.

"Sasuke, you don't need to clean up. I can do it myself." She said apologetically. Her comment went unheard by the man. He was patiently picking up the bentous and carefully matching the lids with them.

"I'm guessing you'll need to wash these, too?" He drawled thoughtfully, gazing at the many colorful boxes. Sakura nodded dumbly, watching him and mesmerized by him.

He straightened with the bentous in his arms. Sasuke turned to look at her inquiringly. "Well? Am I going to wash these alone?"

Sakura shook herself out of her trance and flashed him a quick smile. "Here, let me have some of those." She took half and they walked quietly together. Their destination, which was Sakura's house, was finally reached. Fumbling with the key to get in, she unlocked the door and it swung open. Sasuke slid off his training sandals after her and walked to the kitchen.

Being a cozy apartment with a tiny kitchen, it barely had enough capacity to hold both of them at the same time. But the pair of shinobi didn't really mind. Turning on the faucet with warm and cold water, she set her armload of bentous with traces of food still on them down on the counter. Sasuke mimicked her actions.

One by one, Sakura soaped while Sasuke rinsed with water. The bubbles gathered on the surface of the water as the couple calmly washed the dishes. Sakura nudged Sasuke so that she could rinse off her own hands. It was then that Sasuke struck.

Soapy water made a beeline for her face with a mere flick of his wrist. Sakura ducked quickly and retaliated by flinging her wet sponge at him. With excellent reflexes, Sasuke swiftly step-sided, allowing it to fly past him. He decided he had to go on the offensive. Reaching for the cold water handle and turning it on at full power, he blocked most of the mouth of the faucet with the flat of his palm. Water went everywhere.

The pink-haired jounin had no way of dodging. It was over. She was soaked and he was happily dry, a smug smirk on his face. "I win this time."

She shook her arm to get rid of some of the excess water and pouted. "At least you could have the decency to attack me with warm water. It's cold!" She never regretted saying that.

Sasuke enveloped her in his arms, not caring if the wetness of her body transferring to him. He pressed her against him like he had before in the park. He felt her thin arms wind around his middle. She exhaled into his chest, her breath hot on his shirt.

"S-Sasuke?" She whispered uncertainly.

"Come with me." He said suddenly, taking her by the hand and leading her out the door quickly. She didn't have time to protest but let herself catch up behind him.

It came to her realization that he was leading her down the road that had once led to the Uchiha Massacre, where his entire clan had been driven to the point of extinction. Was he ready to face his past and leave it behind?

Sasuke abruptly stopped at the place of crossing over from the village to Uchiha private property. He gazed far into the distance, his body immediately tensing. His breaths were shaky and his hand groped for hers, seeking some comfort. She yielded everything to him.

"Whenever you're ready, Sasuke." She breathed, making him look at her. Her sea-green eyes evidently gave him more courage.

"It's time…that I let them go." His voice was almost haggard and weary with age, though he was not a day over twenty one.

With Sakura tucked by his side, Uchiha Sasuke took the very first step into his past.

_The Uchiha Township was suddenly filled with noises and people…people whom he recognized from a long time ago. _

"_Sasuke-san, I've got new supplies to get that roof fixed. I'll be by tomorrow as soon as I can!" An old man shouted and waved from the front of his store. Sasuke remember him as the same old man who used to do the fixing in the Uchiha manor. He kept walking. Sakura was oblivious to everything that he was seeing. Fascinated, the last Uchiha looked around. _

"_Hey, Sasuke, who's that gorgeous woman that you've got there?" A young man called from a short distance. This person he didn't know. As if he had heard Sasuke's thoughts, he grinned and laughed. "Yeah, you wouldn't know me. I was dead years before you were even born, kid. I'm Uchiha Obito. Kakashi's told me a great deal about you."_

'_Kakashi?' _

"_Yeah, he's been a rambler these past years. Not one to forget his past easily. So, who's the lady?" He could hear the eagerness in Obito's voice. _

'_Sakura…Haruno Sakura.'_

"_Oh, she's the other student of Kakashi's, isn't she? You finally hooked up with her? I heard she's got some mad skills."_

'_Che. You sound like Naruto.'_

_Obito laughed, not unlike Naruto. "Kakashi used to say that. But he says that the Uzumaki kid matured quite a bit."_

_Sasuke could feel himself smirk. 'Not really.'_

_Obito squinted at him through his goggles. "You really do look like your father, you know that?"_

_Sasuke stopped. 'You knew my father?'_

_The man scoffed. "Know him? I'm his nephew, boy!"_

'_You are my cousin?'_

_Obito grinned. "Yup, come on, I'll show you to where your father is now."_

_The elder man spun on his heel and gracefully trekked through the throng of people. Sasuke was quick to follow diligently. More and more people greeted him graciously. Swirls of different noises filled his ears, his eyes bearing the sight of lively Uchiha people. Vendors were excitedly calling out to the crowd to try food or by products. It was all so real that Sasuke almost fooled himself into believing that it was reality. Soon, the mass of people melted away and it was only Sasuke and Sakura who were following Obito. The dusty path gave way to the intensely familiar way to his house. Tall stone fences lined the road, each one sporting the clan symbol, the red and white fan._

_There it was, the Uchiha manor coming into view and he could see the front gates. The painted red gates were partially open. Obito gestured to the gates. "This is where I leave you."_

'_You're not coming with us?' _

"_I live elsewhere. I don't belong here. Go on, they're all waiting for you." He gave Sasuke a quick smile and dashed off. "Take care of that girl, Sasuke!"_

_Now, Sasuke was faced with a decision to face his parents. Taking deep breath and gripping Sakura, he pushed the gate away to reveal a shocking scene. His father, his mother, and his brother were laughing and eating green melons on the oriental porch. Itachi wore his usual black training attire and his eyes were black as night. His father was smiling while his quiet wife sat beside him and giggling as Itachi was telling a funny tale. There was no blood nor was it gloomy. _

_Itachi heard the creak of the gate and looked up first. His face spread into a slow, but sincere smile. "Sasuke."_

'_Itachi?'_

_His mother's eyes wandered to Sakura beside him. "My, my, who is lovely young lady?"_

_Sasuke couldn't believe his eyes. 'Oka-san?'_

_The woman, who looked as young as the day she died, got up and smiled merrily. "You've grown so much, Sasuke. Is this the woman who you've chosen to carry the Uchiha name with you?" Her eyes clouded with tears of happiness._

_He couldn't answer for there was a painful lump in his throat. It didn't help the fact that his father had stood and gazed at his youngest son with his piercing eyes. Sasuke bowed slightly. "As expected…you are my son." He said softly. _

_Sasuke looked up sharply and something inside of him wrenched with heartache at hearing his father saying those words again. His father continued. "You've done the entire clan proud, Sasuke."_

_It was Itachi's turn. His face was gentle and it was free of all the malice that it had once displayed. "I'm glad Sakura-san has helped you. I was almost afraid you'd be foolish not to see such love."_

_The brothers' mother gazed at Itachi curiously. "You know this woman?"_

_The elder brother looked sheepish and scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. "I've had a liking to her myself, Oka-san." He chuckled. _

"_Sakura…what a beautiful name." His mother mused as she gazed at Sakura. "Would you have married me if I had pink hair like that, teishu?" _

_Her husband looked thoughtful then turned his gaze to his wife. "Hn."_

_A typical Uchiha retort._

"_Live well, little brother. We will be waiting and hopefully, you'll not join us for a long time to come." Itachi said quietly. Sasuke's parents nodded. _

"_I think you're mature enough to go on. Know that you've made us all proud. Thank you for visiting us, Sasuke." Sasuke's mother said and planted a kiss on his forehead on her tiptoes. _

_His parents bid him good bye and departed elsewhere. He knew not where. The elder brother had a smile hovering. "One more thing, little brother." Two fingers shot out and painfully poked Sasuke's head. Sasuke rubbed the sore spot with his hand as he scowled. Itachi shook his head and chuckled. "Still the same, Sasuke. I wish you and Sakura-san all the best. May I?" He looked to Sasuke for silent permission. Sasuke nodded. _

_Itachi gazed at the completely oblivious Sakura and smiled. "Thank you, Sakura-san. What you've done means a lot." Drawing nearer, he kissed the top of her hair. A gentle hand ran down her cheek. _

Sakura shivered. The wind had blown gently against her face to caress it, but it seemed strange that the wind made her shiver. "Sasuke?"

Snapping out of his dream, Sasuke looked around him. It was getting darker each minute. They were in the courtyard where his family had met him. The house was silent, but something about it made him relax. "I'm fine. Thank you for coming with me."

Sakura blushed. "It was nothing. I wished to be here when you wanted to do this. So, how do you feel?"

There was long pause as he gazed at the night sky. "Forgiven."

The medic nin had to smile at that. "Forgiven…it must feel really good."

Sasuke nodded. "Yes, it does."

She tugged on his sleeve. "Ne, do you think we can clean this place up?"

He looked around. Weeds were invading once pretty gardens and litter was everywhere. Sasuke sighed. "Why not?"

"I'll bring Naruto and everyone along!" She chirped, obviously in a good mood.

Sasuke was quick to reply. "No."

Sakura's smile dropped off her face. "Why?"

He gave her almost a mischievous smile. "Just the two of us."

Her eyes widened in surprise. He brought her closer. "Tomorrow, it will be just the two of us."

Sakura didn't know how to reply to that. She heard a chuckle rumble in his chest. "By the way, my family seems to like you."

* * *

**Author's notes:** Wow, fast update, right? I'm happy. Are you happy? Hopefully you are.

How about this SasuSaku? It was okay, wasn't it? I'm pretty satisfied with this chapter. It came out pretty naturally. Thank goodness. Thank you for your reviews! Thank you!

Some more Gaara things and NejiTen, as well as NaruHin. Cats! Cats! New cats! Cats! Happy! Cats! Yes! More cats!

Was the part where Sasuke meets his family again weird? Confused? So am I. Well, when he walks into the Uchiha territory of the village, he basically sees how it is in a different world, I guess. Sakura can't see it, because it wouldn't make much sense if she could. No, it wasn't Sasuke going crazy or delusional.

That's the best I can explain it. Hope you liked it!


	20. Part XX

**Itonami:** Happy 20th chapter for me! Yay!

MORE SasuSaku! I guess it is the author's job to satisfy her readers. Yes, it is a blessing and a curse all at once. More SasuSaku coming your way. But really, I need to get started on the Akatsuki thing and finish this thing up. I've got a story idea for a Neji x Sakura.

Thank you for your reviews! Love you all!

Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Naruto.

* * *

Chapter 20

Sasuke was standing right in the middle of the Uchiha courtyard, looking about the mess and overgrown plants. The house itself wasn't bad, so Sakura had reassured him that she would clean up well. Sasuke had the job of picking up the outside.

Taking a broom, he started with sweeping the litter to one corner and picking up the fallen leaves. With ease and diligence, the Uchiha quickly cleaned the yard and proceeded to rid it of the weeds. He was on his hands and knees, pulling out each irritating plant. He almost thought that his back was getting sore. The weather was mild though, and he could be glad for that.

"Not done yet?" A voice asked cheerfully, causing him to look up quickly from his work. He came face to face with Sakura, who was also on all fours. They were so close that the tip of his nose brushed against hers slightly. He blinked rapidly, a way of displaying his surprise. _When did she get so good at sneaking around? _Sasuke thought, almost in a disapproving manner.

"Ne, Sasuke, that's a flower. Here, I'll take care of that." Sakura ignored his expression and nudged his hand out of the way. A small budding flower was peeking from the soil and the kunoichi gently removed the flower by its roots and carried it a garden that Sasuke had cleaned. Patting the dirt around it securely, she rubbed her dirty hands on her apron.

She stood and walked over to the raven-haired man. "Do you want to look around?" She offered a hand, which he took to get to his feet.

Sasuke allowed himself to be led into the house, a place that he hadn't dared to set foot in since now. The aroma of the place was still vaguely familiar to his senses. Soon, it was Sasuke who was leading Sakura. He automatically ventured to his own room from his youth. Everything was how he remembered leaving it and there was even a drawing was still on his low table. Opening his closet, moth-eaten blankets were folded neatly inside along with some clothes. Reaching out hesitantly, Sasuke lifted out one of his black shirts. They were so small that a part of him wondered when he had ever been so small.

Sakura gave him all the time he wanted to reacquaint with his house. After his room, the last Uchiha went to his parents' and everything was left there. Even his mother's sleeping yukata was folded neatly on top of the futon. His eyes stung with emotion as moisture threatened to fall from his obsidian eyes.

The last room he looked at was his brother's. Itachi's room was somewhat close to his own and the back window had a full view of the back, which was a huge valley, like a dimple on the earth's face. Itachi had left every single thing behind. Not even one thing was taken from the room. Perhaps the former Akatsuki member did not want to remember where he had come from.

Sasuke had spoken too soon. Hidden underneath a pile of blanket and futons in his closet, an empty picture frame was safely nestled. He recognized it almost instantly. In the frame, there was supposed to be a picture of himself and the late elder brother. Itachi wasn't too fond of taking pictures, but Sasuke had begged until his brother had grudgingly given in. The picture was gone. Had Itachi taken it when he left? No one knew the answer now.

"Sasuke, do you want to stay here? I'll go get the lunch I packed." Sakura said softly, gently shifting his attention back into the present. He nodded. When the medic-nin left and closed the door for his privacy, Sasuke knelt on the floor.

Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath, inhaling the scent of sandalwood and soap. His brother—Sasuke squeezed his eyes shut to recollect how Itachi had smelled like—was not one to be concerned about appearance. He had always smelled of the woods, since that was where Itachi liked to train. Sasuke also remembered that there was a hint of musk, like perfume. Maybe his brother hadn't been as uncaring as he had always believed.

"I've always wondered what you did in here, niisan." Sasuke said aloud to the room.

The room was very neat and organized, not single piece of paper out of place. He noticed that Itachi always folded his futons in a strange way; he folded it like origami. Sasuke smiled at that. It looked as if Itachi had gotten that artistic side of his mother. His father was rather a practical man.

After an hour of dwelling in Itachi's quarters, he slid open the shoji door and stepped into the hall. Sakura had been waiting patiently for him. She was carrying two bentous—a pink one for her and a blue one for Sasuke—and she gestured to the kitchen. Sitting down at the table, they both lifted the lids to their lunchboxes and snapped apart the wooden chopsticks.

A strange fetish of the Uchiha was tomatoes. Apparently, that was his main diet. Sakura had found out the information long ago when they were still gennins. In the rice that Sasuke was currently eating was sprinkled with neat cubs of ripe tomatoes, adding color to the plain meal. He smiled as he ate. What did he know about her that most people didn't? He was determined to find out by the end of the day. He just needed to figure out how to go about accomplishing his mission.

"Sakura," he spoke, breaking their silence, "do you write in a diary?"

The woman addressed looked at him strangely, but her eyes were smiling. "I think almost all women do."

"Aa." Mission failed. A second try was in need. He would try again.

"Why do you ask?"

"Nothing." He answered stiffly, not knowing how to react.

"Oh." Sakura's smile slid off her face as she gazed at her food. He could taste the disappointment that surrounded her. Sasuke hated feeling such things.

"The food tastes good, Sakura. Thank you." He said, not unkindly, his tone of voice far different than the one he had used previously.

She brightened immediately. "You liked it? I'm glad."

"Where did you learn how to cook?" He asked. This time, he would surely succeed.

Sakura seemed to be thinking. "My grandmother. She was a wonderful cook. Everybody learned from her."

Okay, maybe that didn't go as well as planned. What was something that _no one _knew about her? That only he could keep to himself. Something that he could hold onto and tease her about. He would pursue later. Right now, she probably wanted to get back to cleaning.

As soon as he thought those words, Sakura called from another room. Apparently, she had already left the kitchen and had left him to ponder by himself. "Sasuke, can you get that mop? This room is mud-filled! …Eek, is that a dead _rat_? That's disgusting!" She exclaimed various things aloud as he trekked to the room that she was in with her desired mop.

He helped minutely here and there since she was doing most of the work. At times Sasuke hindered her work and eventually she all together banished him from the rooms. By the end of the day, the place was so spotless that he wondered if he was hallucinating.

"Well, I'm exhausted." She stretched. Lying down on the tatami-covered wooden floors, she closed her eyes and sighed.

"Go to sleep. I'll wake you up in thirty minutes or so." He said quietly, looking towards the low sun position. It was six in the evening. In under a minute, the petite woman fell asleep, breathing softly on her side facing him. Sasuke looked at her closely and reached over to brush a strand of stray pink hair out of her face. He hadn't been able to get a secret out of her. This would be his first failed mission.

"_Sasuke, to be strong means to become isolated and arrogant."_

"_By protecting those precious to you, you become strong."_

"_Are you willing to love? Love makes everything possible."_

"_People hate those who are skilled." _

"_I will be acknowledged by everyone."_

"_I love you with all of my heart!"_

Thoughts swam around in his head, and Sasuke fell back next to the sleeping Sakura. Turning to his side so that he could see her, he rested his head on his hand. The Uchiha smiled softly at Sakura. "You sleep so peacefully. I envy you…"

The room was lit with the rays of the golden sun as the evening passed away. It was definitely past thirty minutes, but Sasuke did not want to disturb his companion. Instead, his mind decided to wander.

The day before the picnic, Sasuke had gone back to Tsunade. She had received the message containing the village elders' decision on his matter. Unexpectedly, he was actually feeling quite nervous as he calmly walked to her office. In her hand was the scroll that determined his sentence.

"_Sasuke, the elders…have not granted my request for your early dismissal from your punishment." Tsunade said with disappointment quite laced in her voice. _

_He nodded. "I see. Then am I still going to participate in defending Konoha?"_

_The Godaime looked away. "The elders are still debating about that. They think you are still a threat to Konoha's safety. I'm sorry."_

"_Iie, Hokage-sama. Thank you." He bowed and turned to leave but the Hokage stopped him by raising a slender hand. _

"_No matter what the elders' decision, Sasuke, I will allow you to go to the battlefield. We need all the shinobi available."_

_He crookedly smirked. "I would worry about Sakura if I couldn't go."_

_She grinned. "Being open about your feelings, ne? Well then, you would definitely have to go now. I can't keep an eye on her all the time." _

"_She was disappointed about being assigned a medic position."_

_The elder woman sighed. "Ah, she came to talk to me about that. Sakura is a genuine medical ninja, far gifted than I could be. I realize that she has superb uses besides the medical routines, but this time, I need her to be our leader. We have excellent ninjas assembled such as the newlywed Hyuugas, Naruto, Lee, and you. Our intelligence unit lead by Shikamaru has had more success missions in the last five years than our previous ones in ten. Sakura alone carries the burden of healing and medical knowledge. Hyuuga Hinata has only begun training in the field. _

"_Do you see her importance? I fear that this war is going to be bloody. Konoha needs to take care of our wounded. They have the best chances with her."_

_Sasuke's fist clenched and his eyes were turned to the floor. "Relying so heavily on Sakura wouldn't be good for her."_

_Tsunade clasped her hands behind her back. "Yes, there is that issue also. I am going there personally to be a medic."_

_He snapped his head in surprise at her words. "You are going?"_

_She chuckled at the Uchiha's facial expression. "Hokage is a boring, tiring routine. I need some change of scenery."_

_Sasuke's eyebrows furrowed. "What about the village? Wouldn't you be needed here?"_

_The woman sighed and waved a hand. "You just need to make me feel guilty about leaving the village alone, don't you? Anyway, I'm leaving Jiraya in charge."_

"_I see."_

"_Sasuke," she said, her voice growing deeper in seriousness, "your chakra will be returned to you. I can promise you that. You have proved yourself most trustworthy. The village has already forgiven you for what you've done. And I have too."_

_He bowed formally and smiled a bit. "Thank you."_

"_I'm sorry to have been the herald of bad news." She shook her head. "I'm probably keeping you from important things to do. You'll come to the picnic tomorrow?"_

"_Hai." Sasuke bowed again and left the office. _

_A deep ache formed in his chest the rest of the day. He had been hoping to have back his chakra. It always felt that he was missing a part of him. As a ninja, it shamed him at times not to have his chakra. Carelessly, he walked through the crowd, not really caring if he happened to bump into someone. _

_And as Fate would have it, he did just that. _

_He knocked someone backward with a strong shoulder. Sasuke would have kept on walking but he caught a flash of pink. He twisted around and saw Sakura rubbing her shoulder sheepishly. _

_Immediate guilt washed over him. "Are you alright?"_

_Sakura grinned and nodded. "Of course. I just didn't watch where I was going. I'm sorry."_

_He smirked. "Where were you headed to?"_

"_The market. I'm out of groceries." She shrugged. _

"_Aa."_

"_You want to come, Sasuke? I'd like the company. I usually go shopping with Ino, but she was busy today." Sakura smiled warmly, sending awful tingling sensations throughout his body. He only replied with a nod. _

Sounds of children shouting goodbye echoed in the evening air. Distant doors could be heard shutting, some quietly while others loudly. Then, the night was silent. The wind sang a soft song of a passerby as it blew by the clean Uchiha estate.

It was getting late and Sasuke himself was getting a little tired. Getting up, he transported to his apartment and grabbed some pillows and blankets. Sakura probably wouldn't mind sleeping in the Uchiha house. He didn't want to wake her up anyway.

He reappeared beside her sleeping form again. Laying out a futon, he gingerly placed her on top of it and covered her up with a blanket. Sasuke decided to look around the house again before going to sleep.

Walking out into the cool night, his eyes spotted something familiar. The stone walls which were decorated with the Uchiha emblem caught his eye. The one directly in front of his house was marred with old age and dust, but also with spidery cracks from a focal point. Sasuke's curiosity heightened and he walked to it barefoot.

His fingers reached out to touch the cracks. They traced each one to the center hole. "Niisan, it's hard to believe…" The last Uchiha whispered.

This incident had happened long ago when his brother had gotten angry at being accused of murdering one of the Uchiha clan's finest. It was also the day when Sasuke first witnessed the Mangekyou Sharingan burning with hatred towards his father. A shiver involuntarily went down his spine.

"_I don't have time to play with you."_

Sasuke sighed. There was no use in dwelling on the past anymore. His life now fed on his future.

Going back inside, he spread his own futon near Sakura and sprawled on it in an eagle-spread fashion. His unruly hair splayed out on his pillow. His dark bangs tickled the side of his nose. He felt satisfaction that the pink-haired jounin was sleeping close by.

* * *

In the morning, Sasuke woke up to sounds of sizzling. His nose twitched at the scent of eggs and sausages. Sitting up with grace, he looked down to see that he had fallen asleep in his clothes. Sakura's futon was folded neatly in a corner of the room.

"Are you awake, Sasuke?" A melodious voice called from the kitchen.

He got out of bed and automatically went to the kitchen. There she was cooking eggs and sausages with a box of cereal on the low table which was situated in the center of the room. "Where did you get all of this?"

She turned to look at him and giggled. "So this is how you look like after you sleep? I guess Uchiha Sasuke has some faults after all."

Sasuke snorted. He never looked good in the morning. "I'm going to wash up."

"Breakfast is almost ready. Hurry back." She teased.

He smirked and headed to the bathroom. It was a wonder that everything besides the electricity was working. Even the hot was in perfect working condition. Sasuke took a quick shower to freshen up and brushed back his wet hair as best he could. His reflection reminded him that his mother used to tease him about his hair.

"_Your hair represents a very cute bird. Do you see its tail feathers back here?"_

Surely enough, the back of his hair always stuck up in odd angles. Sasuke remembered scowling playfully at his mother. Itachi had his mother's hair, smooth and silky. He remembered how soft his mother's felt against his face whenever she hugged him.

Shaking himself out of his thoughts, he traveled back to the kitchen to find all the food set and Sakura sitting across from his seat. "I was wondering if you'd drowned in there. I was debating whether to go in and see if you were alright."

"That would have been nice." He commented offhandedly as he sat. Sasuke smirked at her slackened expression.

"Were you just suggesting something?"

He shrugged one shoulder mysteriously. "Perhaps."

Sakura stuck out her tongue. They commenced eating. "So, how come you didn't wake me up yesterday?"

"You were sleeping well. I didn't want to disturb you." He said while taking a bite out of his sausage.

"The futons are too new to have been from the house."

"I got them from my apartment."

Sakura sighed and smiled softly at him, almost shyly. "Thank you…" Her eyes darted away.

He swallowed his mouthful of food. "It wasn't any trouble."

She shook her pretty head. "No, not about that."

A dark eyebrow arched up in an inquisitive manner. "Then?"

"For not sleeping in the same futon…as I did." She said the words very awkwardly, as if it was a tongue-twisting rhyme.

Sasuke's mouth went dry and he took a drink of water. "Is that important to you?"

Sakura tired to smile. "I know it may sound strange. I know that we slept in the same bed those years ago when Naruto's ANBU team were given the mission to search for you and Itachi. To me, that was wrong. I shouldn't have done that.

"Something as little as sleeping with another person beside me bothers me." She laughed hesitantly. "I've always been like that. My aunt…was a prostitute. She almost ruined her life. I never want that to happen to me. Ever. The only person that I will be close to will be my husband." Sakura's voice was firm and he believed her.

A light went off in Sasuke's head. His mission was completed a day later than promised, but it was completed anyhow. Sakura was bothered by sleeping close to another of the opposite gender. Sasuke would be protective over this secret. His secret and hers.

The Uchiha nodded. "No one else knows?"

She shook her head again. "No, you're actually the first person I've admitted this to."

"I will respect your privacy and your beliefs." He said quietly. "It's the least I can do."

Sakura seemed to brighten up the entire kitchen with her smile. "You're the best, Sasuke."

"Hn," he grunted to his plate, "I know."

He was hit by a piece of sausage. Courtesy of Haruno Sakura.

* * *

**Author's notes:** Chapter 20 is done! This took me SO long to finish. Writer's blocks everywhere! I enjoyed it though. Glad you liked my previous chapter. I liked it too!

Thank you so much to all of you who reviewed! Wow, I'm amazed. I like reading long reviews! Some of you are so cute when you write me reviews. They are _such_ a pleasure to read.

Sasuke x Sakura pairing only in this chapter. If you were disappointed, I'm sorry.

This story will probably conclude…for real. I know I bluffed once, but this time I think it needs to end. I dragged it out way to long. It went so far off my summary that it's starting to bug me to no end. I'm also getting started on a Neji x Sakura story now. I need to finish this one and get the other one up as soon as its first chapter is written. Probably three more chapters? I'll probably need two chaps to wrap up the Akatsuki thing, and maybe an epilogue of some sort.

Hope you enjoyed this one and thank you for reviewing!


	21. Part XXI

**Itonami:** Late as usual. Sorry for the long delay. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Naruto.

Chapter 21

* * *

Uzumaki Naruto stretched hugely, tired from the late-night meetings at the Hokage Tower for the approaching battle with the Akatsuki. It was bad enough as it was. Tsunade told him that the elders had refused to grant permission for Sasuke's participation in the war. However, he did receive some good news that his two division teams were ready for assembly. 

"Aw, damn, I'm so exhausted." Naruto yawned, a tear gathering in the corner of his eye.

Hyuuga Neji sat cross-legged as he meditated silently. The golden haired nin glared at his inattentiveness. Sighing heavily, he carelessly prodded the Hyuuga with his toe. "Ne, Hyuuga, isn't Tenten waiting up for you?"

A silver-white eye opened slowly and fixed piercingly on Naruto. "My wife is asleep."

The other man plopped down beside him and pouted. "How long are we going to wait for Shikamaru to come?"

Neji felt an onslaught of fresh killing intentions. If Uzumaki didn't shut up, he would find himself in the hospital for a month. Luckily, both were saved when Shikamaru stumbled to them, hands in his pockets and his expression broadcasted to the entire world of thorough boredom. "You guys can head in. It looks like I'm going to be staying here for awhile…how troublesome."

Both of the ninjas silently rejoiced at the news. Neji stalked off quickly, not wanting to be caught standing idly. Naruto, on the other hand, scratched his head. "Is everything alright?"

The lazy-looking jounin nodded and tilted his head to the night sky. "Yeah, it's just tactical discussions with my team. We haven't worked out all the kinks yet."

Naruto grinned. "I'll see you later then. Good luck, Shikamaru."

Waving to his friend, he swiftly jogged to his apartment. Tomorrow, they were to head out to the Houka Forest. The medical unit would join a day later. Sakura and Tsunade were in charge of them. Believe it or not, Naruto was quite nervous about the battle. It was obvious that many would die and the dread of tomorrow slowly crept into his system.

For the first time, he was beginning to worry about not making it out alive. The Kyuubi was wanted, and the Akatsuki was going to do whatever it took to get it. If the managed to capture Naruto, he was done for.

Quickly, Naruto angrily shook his head to snap himself out of his thoughts. "No, I will survive. I'll survive and marry Hinata. I'll see my children and I'll live to become Konoha's greatest Hokage. This is my ninja way." He said aloud, his tone of voice firm and unwavering.

* * *

Dawn brought its first rays of the sun and almost every chuunin, jounin, and elite ANBU was already to go. Tsunade stood front and center, her hat covering a grim face. Naruto, Sasuke, Neji, Tenten, Shikamaru, and many others stood at attention before her eyes, determination written on their youthful faces.

"I'll save the pep talk. I want all of you to come back safely. You understand?" She called out, her voice hardening with seriousness.

A roaring chorus of "Hai, Hokage-sama!" rumbled. The other villagers watched as some of their beloveds go into battle, and quite possibly to their deaths. Women wept as sons left their sides to join in the effort of defense, while fathers watched with sorrow and pride as they left their family.

The Godaime stood proudly as her ninjas marched out of the gates. It would be a hardjourney to reach the Houka Forest. Sakura also stood beside her and she watched Naruto and Sasuke head off before her. Naruto gave her an energetic thumbs-up and Sasuke gave her a nod with a smile. It felt like two holes were being drilled into her heart.

"Don't worry, Sakura. You'll see them soon." The Hokage whispered.

The pink haired kunoichi kicked a pebble at her feet. "They won't engage yet, will they?"

Tsunade shook her head. "They shouldn't. I gave strict orders not to engage until the medics got there. We'll need to get ready and go as soon as possible. They might not be able to wait until tomorrow."

The medic team was standing by, all of them uneasy and restless. Sakura spotted her longtime friend. "Hinata-chan!"

The Hyuuga woman turned from another medic who was hyperventilating. A small smile graced her oval face. "Sakura-chan, Miya-chan is having trouble breathing."

Sakura frowned and charged two fingers with chakra. Placing them on the hollow spot where the girl's collar bones met, the Godaime's apprentice carefully allowed the chakra to seep through and relax her lungs.

After they got Miya to settle down, Sakura and Hinata sat by themselves on a bench. The Hyuuga surveyed her friend before speaking. "I'm worried about them too."

The rosette-haired woman sighed, her face set in a smile. "They'll make it, right?"

Hinata nodded, knowing that Sakura needed more reassurance. "They will, Sakura, especially Sasuke and Naruto-kun. They wouldn't leave us behind."

Sakura sniffed and looked at her friend. "Thanks, Hinata-chan."

They both smiled at each other and laughed, knowing that it might be the last time they could.

The medics packed up and left in the dark of the night. Stars twinkled above them teasingly as they moved quickly to their destination. The sense of foreboding enveloped them like a thick blanket. Many of the younger ones huddled close together for comfort.

The travel was slow. With equipment and more things to carry, the group was weighed down heavily. Everyone carried at least fifty pound bags on their backs and some helped drag more of the larger equipment.

"The other group must be at least a good three hours away. I can sense some of their tracks here. They're not too fresh, but tracking them will be easy." Sakura said.

Tsunade nodded at her while Hinata stayed at her side with her Byakugan alert and looking for any stealth attackers. "Sakura-chan, there is no sign of ambush."

The Godaime suddenly halted. Throwing out her arm as a signal to stop all of them, she said in a low voice, "Sakura, don't you find it suspicious that our group ahead did not set up any traps?"

There was silence from the pink-haired apprentice. "They could have not put any to make it easier for us." Then, receiving a very forward stare, Sakura bit her lip. "Or we've been following the wrong trail. Damn, we've walked right into a trap."

Soft chuckling rang throughout the forest. "You all are slow, I see. You've been heading in a completely different direction than what you've planned. Even with the Godaime with you, you bunch of medics will be easy to kill, you see."

"Show yourselves!" Tsunade barked. All the medics crouched to defend while forming a circle around the Hokage.

"'Show yourselves!'" The mystery shinobi mimicked in a pitchy voice. "I have people following your other group. Konoha isn't very smart when it comes to keeping strategies a secret."

"A rat!" Sakura exclaimed angrily, feeling the tremor of shock going through the small, outnumbered medic nins.

"Ah, this one is quick." A voice echoed. "Shall we get this fight started?"

A silent signal was seen and darkly clothed shinobi fell from the trees, surrounding the Konohakagure. Leaves softly rustled as more movement occurred. Sakura shifted closer to Tsunade. Out of the corner of her mouth, she muttered, "Tsunade-sama, we can send someone for help."

The Godaime shook her head. "No, we don't even know where we are. They could have led us in the opposite direction for all we know."

"I can't believe I didn't notice." Sakura snarled under her breath.

"It's no use beating yourself up over it. We fight, Sakura. As shinobi, by God, we will fight." The Hokage's voice raised. "Everybody stand tall! Get ready!"

Thus, the battle commenced.

It was all an organized mess. Shinobi attacked all at once and each Konoha medic had to fend off at least three at once. Tsunade easily crushed five at once with a huge pound of her heel to the ground, causing the earth to open up and swallow them up.

Sakura fought with weapons while Hinata spurred on with her Gentle Fist technique. Slashing one while dodging another, every Konoha nin fought on bravely.

The pink-haired woman clenched her teeth as she felt a sharp shaft go through her shoulder. With a steady and experienced hand, she gripped the longer end and jerked it out. Sakura jabbed the bloody javelin on the ground and used it as a leverage to hold on to as she crazily kicked four nins to the ground.

"Hinata, toss me some bandages!" She shouted over to her friend.

A white object flew toward her and Sakura opened up her hand to catch it when a sharp kunai splattered through her hand while the force of its momentum knocked her to the forest floor. The roll of bandages rolled a couple feet away. Her hand was so bloody that you couldn't see what was actually bleeding. Hands were always in need in battle. Quickly, Sakura pulled the kunai out and started to heal the wound.

"Your chakra color is unique, I see. I was told by my informant that you had the best medical skills in your village." The menacing voice drawled nonchalantly in front of her. Flashing green eyes saw the offender's sandaled feet first.

A light reflected off of a long, tempered metal as it moved toward her neck. She froze as the cold katana blade kissed the soft part of her neck. Loose pink hair fell from her ponytail.

"A flowering medic nin in her twenties, I see. It's a shame you have to die. It would be helpful to the organization if you'd join us, you see."

Sakura did not move at all. After a long silence between them, "Traitors are lower than trash. If I became one, that means I would be lower than you."

A chuckle escaped the other man. "You have a sassy way with words, I see. Heh, I haven't even introduced myself."

The blade suddenly disappeared and the sound of it being sheathed again slid past her ears. Sakura dared to look up. What she discovered to see was an eyesore. The man was unnaturally tall and his sword was also abnormally long to suit his size. Long dark hair was pulled back into a high ponytail with long bangs falling over a light gray eye. However, it was his face which provided her discomfort.

It was so heavily marred by scars of all sizes that she couldn't tell what part of his face was what; he even had an eye missing. A chunk of his left ear was gone, along with a part of his upper lip. The sight was almost disgusting to look at. Even Morino Ibiki didn't have _that_ many scars.

"Why are you staring so much? Haven't seen a man with so many scars?" He cackled harshly. "I bet even your Sasuke-kun has less scars than I do, I see."

Sakura glared. "Your boss…where is he?"

The nin leered at her. "No wonder you went to being a medic nin. You have no skills in interrogating, I see."

The rosy-haired jounin kicked his legs from underneath him. "Maybe I can beat it out of you."

In a second later, he was back on his feet. Partial lips formed a crude grin as he drew his long katana. "I am Tei the ex-hunter-nin of Raikagure. It will be an honor to allow such a pretty kunoichi to try and defeat me."

"Sakura!" A familiar alto voice shouted from behind. Whipping around, Sakura saw Tsunade eyeing down Tei. "How did you find us?" The question was biting as she addressed him.

As if in a sheepish way, Tei put his hands behind his head and sighed. "You're annoying as usual, I see."

"I believe you've just tried to lure an innocent girl into one of your games."

He attempted to pout. "Tsu-chan, you're still so cold, I see!"

Sakura was confused. Wasn't he Akatsuki? This seemed the ripe time to ask.

"Tsunade-sama, do you know him?"

She nodded and pulled a disgusted face. "He's just a bandit. He's not Akatsuki."

Oh. Right.

"Fine, you caught me. I hope your hand is alright, little missy. That shoulder wound doesn't look too good, I see." He gave two short whistles and the enemy nins backed off and lined up in a neat, single file line.

"I've had my fun." He attempted to grin again cheerily. "I didn't lead you astray, by the by, you see. I was just probing at your funny bone. I just saw Tsu-chan and couldn't resist poking fun."

"Fun! You call this _fun!_" Sakura screeched madly and would have gouged out his sole eye if it weren't the Godaime holding her back.

"I didn't kill any of your team members, little missy."

The pink-haired medic huffed and flipped her hair back from her face. "You owe me, Tei."

He nodded and laughed. "Entirely indebted to you, I see, for scaring you."

She turned smug. "Help us fight the Akatsuki."

The grin dropped off his face. "That would be suicide, you see."

"We're all going there. It's unavoidable."

He seemed to ponder very seriously. All in a matter of seconds…

"SAKURA-CHAN! Of course we'll help you, little missy!"

Putting a lanky arm around her, he shouted in his bass voice, "Let's go, gang! New plan! We're going to go fight some Akatsuki butt!"

The medic nins sweatdropped.

In a matter of minutes, everyone was suited to travel again. Tei, Sakura, and Tsunade took up the front and they quickly followed the tracks left behind by the group ahead of them.

Dawn broke and the first rays of the sun shined over the horizon, giving some light to the forest. Hinata frowned and grasped Sakura's arm. "Wait…there's something wrong."

The team halted again and listened carefully. A soft rustle was heard above them. Tsunade and Tei scanned the trees. Hinata reactivated the Byakugan and concentrated. Her eyes widened. Sakura felt it too.

"Everyone down!" The head medic shouted. Just as soon as everyone hit the ground, a dark cloud of kunais hissed past their heads.

Ninjas wearing black cloaks decorated with clouds took their places in the trees.

Tei drew his sword as he got up. "This one is for real now."

For sure, it was the real deal. Akatsuki showed no mercy. It seemed like the medics would have to fight along side the defense and strike divisions. It would be a massacre.

Sakura led the medical team toward the other group in order to contact them easier. The enemy nins cut them off sharply.

"I see them! I see Naru—" A medic was silenced quickly by an experienced throw of a kunai.

Indeed, the shock of golden hair could be seen easily. Sakura was busy trying to protect her sensei and herself. Hinata had already defeated several of her own enemies. It was clear she was fighting to get to her beloved Naruto.

The Godaime looked around quickly. "Where's Sasuke! I need to unseal his chakra! We need all the help we can get!"

Catching each others' eyes, Sakura and Tsuande both pulled off a Kawarimi. They used the chance to escape and get closer to the heart of the battle. Sakura's eyes worked swiftly to find the raven-haired ninja. He had on his brand-new forehead protector and fighting back to back with Naruto. It was an awesome sight to see.

"Sasuke! I'm unsealing your chakra right now! Come with me!" Tsunade shouted over the sea of heads. The Uchiha heard her very clearly. The Hokage turned to her apprentice. "Cover me. I'll need all the time I can get to unseal that boy."

Tsunade led Sasuke off to the side where there was not so much commotion. Taking out a brush already dipped in ink, she swiftly drew lines over his neck and chest area to represent chains. Forming counterseals, the Godaime set to work.

Very slowly, the black lines disappeared centimeter by centimeter toward his heart. Blue chakra swirled around them like the wind, howling in their ears and blowing their hair wildly.

Sakura and Naruto teamed up like the old days and crazily repelled the onslaught of Akatsuki ninjas who were all very intent on stopping the ritual being performed.

"To your left, Sakura-chan!" Naruto shouted out a warning. Sakura dodged a punch and retaliated with a graceful, chakra-charged kick.

Naruto put his hands together and shouted, "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"

Two hundred clones of the blonde jounin popped up, all ready to fight. They made the job a little easier. Naruto wasn't as naive anymore to use up all of his chakra for his Kage Bunshin. He had learned too many times the hard way not to do that.

Sakura, excelling in genjutsu, pulled off another Kawarimi and faked another clone. Using the break she got from being occupied, the petite woman punched the ground, controlling the devastating amount of chakra to break apart the earth in huge slab behind Tsunade and Sasuke. It was successful in blocking a huge number of senbon thrown at them.

The blonde nin ran at Sakura while she did the same. Locking arms with each other, they used each other's momentum to swing an agonizing kick to two of their opponents. Kakashi had taught them teamwork, and teamwork was definitely going to be needed.

The jutsu was almost completed. Tsunade's eyes shot open as the final chain which bound the Uchiha broke. Almost immediately, a huge flare of dark blue chakra erupted from Sasuke.

Horrified green eyes saw an enormous sword being thrown his way. Everything seemed to happen in slow motion.

Reaching out, Sakura screamed, "SASUKE!"

Blood splattered across her face. Stopping just short, she felt hot tears gather at the corners of her eyes.

"No…" Her voice broke.

_No…

* * *

_

**Author's notes: **Whoa, I'm really late with this chappie. I'm sorry. It seems I just dug my own grave by posting my Neji x Sakura story before I finished this. Now I have to concentrate in getting two stories updated. Damn, this sucks.

Oh well, anyway…no need to wallow in self pity. This chapter ended in a cliffhanger. Sorry about that, but I couldn't help it! I want you all to guess what happens next. A cookie to someone who does.

Not much romance in here, I'm afraid. Maybe later…?

Akatsuki battle has now started. Heh…

Tei...he was REALLY random, by the by. I was going to have actual Akatsuki ambush them, but then it wouldn't work with what I wanted to do later, you see. Didn't the 'I see's get really annoying? He won't be coming out anymore. Don't worry.

I hope you enjoyed this way late chapter. I also hope to update sooner from now on. If I don't…you don't have to read anymore… T-T


	22. FINALE

**Itonami:** Cookies to Phoe-chan, Demoneyes 14, and Only Secret! Nice guesses. XD

Disclaimer: I do not own any part of Naruto.

* * *

Chapter 22

"T-Tsuande-sama…" Sasuke breathed out as Tsunade trembled before him. The gigantic sword was embedded deep inside her upper torso. She was barely breathing. The Hokage had intercepted the sword from killing off Sasuke. He caught her swiftly before she could collapse. Sakura and Naruto sprinted to them.

Sakura's eyes were full of tears. "Tsunade-sama, are you alright?" Her hands were immediately charged to heal the fatal wound.

The dying Godaime stopped her apprentice's hands. She shook her head feebly. "It's not worth it, Sakura. Even I know when I'm dying. I've been dying for a long time now."

"Baa-chan, you aren't giving up, you hear me?" Naruto snapped at her from the right.

She tried to chuckle. A cough replaced it and blood dribbled down her chin. Tsunade looked at Naruto. "I think you've grown enough to take my place. Will you accept it? Will you look after Konoha with your life?" Naruto nodded gravely, fighting back tears. "Uzumaki Naruto, I name you as my successor, the Rokudaime of Konoha."

The rosy-haired medic looked at her sensei and cupped the side of her face. Before Team 7's eyes, their Hokage was turning older and older. Wrinkles drew themselves on the once youthful face of Tsunade. Her eyelids became hooded and her hair thinned. The woman who they were seeing right now was the true from of Tsunade, no longer beautiful and strong. Breathing was raspy and forced as the Godaime bled to death from her wounds.

"Sakura…" Tsunade said hoarsely.

The jounin started. "Hai, Tsunade-sama?"

The old woman took young hands into her aging ones. "Will you cast permanent genjutsu? To make me look like how I did when I was younger? I don't want Konoha to be disappointed."

Sakura, of course, was no one to deny her sensei's last wish. She nodded and slowly made the correct hand seals for a concealment jutsu. "Ki…" She whispered as crystal-like liquid spilled from her tears. In a flash of pale pink light, the Godaime returned to her young form.

And her last breath seemed to linger in the air between the members of Team 7.

Sakura stifled a sob by clamping a bloodstained hand over her mouth while Naruto looked on solemnly. His countenance was almost set in a disbelieving manner, cobalt eyes wide and hazy. Sasuke held the dead woman, the hokage, in his arms. She had died for him. To save _him_ from the death that she suffered. He couldn't understand why she had done so. He deserved none of it. Absolutely none.

"Naruto, look out!" A young voice screamed out, snapping them back from their shock.

Naruto threw himself against Sasuke and Sakura, shoving them down to the ground in order to avoid an arrow dipped in fatal poison. Konohamaru sprinted toward them. "Naruto, you all right? You almost—" The young shinobi stopped when his eyes spotted the dead Godaime. "Is she…?" He whispered, feeling his stomach drop to his feet.

Sakura nodded slowly, shaking away her tears. "We must guard her body."

Sasuke agreed. He turned to look at his golden-haired friend. Naruto stood there, head bowed and fists shaking, his nails digging in so hard into his palms that they were starting to bleed. Chakra radiated heat as it started to swirl in masses around the lean shinobi. Naruto was enraged.

"Who threw that sword?" The blonde jounin asked softly, as if his voice could be heard among the other sounds of battle. When nobody seemed to answer, Naruto's head snapped up, the whiskers on the sides of his face deeply pronounced, and his blood red eyes could be clearly seen. "**_Who threw that fucking sword_**!" He roared out, malice and fury etched on every part of his face.

"N-Naruto…" Sakura stuttered, obviously caught off by his sudden change of aura.

Her voice went unheard. There was going to be major bloodshed. Red chakra engulfed Naruto's entire being like fire but he was unharmed. Instead, the chakra fed off of his energy and anger and it grew stronger. Naruto's canines grew long like a fox's fangs and his nails grew sharp like an animal's. A wicked smile was pasted on his face as he crouched in a position to pounce. "You came for the Kyuubi. _Come and get it!_"

The Kyuubi-controlled Naruto sprang upon his prey, his enemies, and he began to slaughter them madly. Flesh, organs were ripped out ruthlessly, with blood spraying like fine mist among them. It was like seeing through a red fog. Sasuke was afraid that the Kyuubi would not discriminate among allies and the foes, but it seemed like a part of the real Naruto was holding back from massacring everyone in sight.

"Sakura, we have to get him under control!" He shouted over to his pink-haired friend.

"Hai!" She called over.

At first, they tried means of distraction. Sasuke produced an enormous Goukakyuu fireball, but Naruto barreled through it effortlessly. Sakura countered with a genjutsu to blind him and deafen him, but that had absolutely no effect on him.

"It's no use, Sasuke!"

The Uchiha had a feeling in his gut that mere jutsus would not stop the crazed Kyuubi. It had been a long time since he had his chakra and done a summoning. The rest of everything else had flowed smoothly enough. Sasuke decided the risk was safer than Naruto's rampage.

"Sakura, I'm going to summon!" He shouted over the noise. She looked at him in surprise but nodded nonetheless.

Familiarity allowed him to go through the seals without any trouble. Concentrating hard on his level of chakra, he bit his thumb and pulled out an ancient scroll. It flew open in the air and he smeared his blood upon the aged paper. "Summoning jutsu! Manda!"

Something beneath him exploded and he had to cover his face from the dirt and bits of grass. Sasuke felt himself being elevated and the feeling was exhilarating. A great anaconda hissed below. Great amber eyes glared up at him. "Brat! Where have you beenttthhh? You dare sssummon me after yearsss of neglect?"

"I had my chakra taken away, Manda. I couldn't summon you even if I wanted to." Sasuke replied nonchalantly. Before the snake could accuse him of any thing else, he imputed, "How are your children?"

The beast seemed surprised at the question. "They are good…sss…One my daughters is Sssakura, after your woman. Have you reproduccced yet?…sss."

The Uchiha coughed into his hand. "No."

"Am I sssummonded to eat something?" Manda questioned severely.

Sasuke jumped back into business. "I need—"

A huge ball of smoke appeared beside the snake and the master. Katsuyu, the great slug, rested upon the ground with Sakura on its forehead. "Manda! What are you doing here?" It exclaimed in his booming voice.

"The brat sssummoned me. What elssse am I sssupposed to do, idiot?" The giant anaconda snapped.

Sasuke blinked at Katsuyu and then at Sakura. "You can summon?"

She stuck out her tongue at him. "You aren't the only one who has a summoning beast. Tsunade-sama taught me years ago." The rosette smiled at him. "Let's get this started."

The two beasts were ordered to somehow capture Naruto or render him unconscious. Manda seemed to be all for that idea. He used his tail like a whip and lashed out at the furious red-eyed nin.

Snarling, Naruto scratched the tail and his hands started a sequence of seals. Sasuke was alarmed. "Sakura, he's summoning!"

As soon as the words left his mouth, another ball of smoke erupted before them and when it cleared, a colossal toad with a pipe in its mouth was revealed. When Gama Bunta saw the other two beasts, he blinked his huge eyes. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"Hello, Gama Bunta-sama." Sakura politely greeted. It was their second encounter.

The toad spread a hesitant smile across his ugly face. "Sakura-kun, it has been awhile. Where is that yellow headed brat, anyway?"

"Right here, you old toad face." Naruto said cheerfully.

"Naruto, you're alright!" Sakura exclaimed. She suddenly threw a kunai at his head, which he barely dodged. "That was for _scaring_ us, you bastard!"

The Rokudaime grinned. "Sorry, Sakura-chan."

"Damn right, you should be sorry!" She shrieked. "Do you how scary this all was?" Tears pooled at her eyes and spilled down her face.

Katsuyu sighed. "She always cries."

She slammed her heel to his head, releasing a huge amount of chakra into his head, creating a massive headache. "Shut up." She sniffed and wiped away her tears.

Naruto smiled weakly and gazed at the ground. There was not even one black cloaked shinobi standing. "Well, I guess we can go home now."

The two remaining Team 7 members looked down also. Only Konoha ninjas were milling about, carrying their dead and their wounded off the bloody battlefield. It was a sad victory for the Leaf.

"All of these people…sacrificed for the Leaf. Every one of them deserves recognition. All of them." Naruto spoke softly, his blue eyes clouding sorrowfully and gravely.

"You'll do fine…"

"…Rokudaime-sama."

Naruto looked at them with wide eyes, shocked at the title he had earned. Sakura and Sasuke were smiling. Simultaneously, they bowed to him. "Will you lead us back home, Hokage-sama?"

The golden haired Rokudaime's eyes softed again. "I would be my greatest honor yet. Where's Hinata-chan?"

He spotted Hinata down below. She was busy healing people. He loved her. That was his final conclusion. That was all he needed.

The three beasts of summoning led the way toward the Hidden Village of Leaf. Uzumaki Naruto stood proudly upon the head of Gama Bunta and watched as the sun set over the horizon.

Gates of Konoha were wide open as they entered. A crowd was cheering madly for their return.

_They were all home, the living and the dead. _

"Hey, Sasuke, you want to get some ramen afterwards? I'm hungry." Sakura called over from Katsuyu.

"Are you buying?"

She frowned. "Of course not! I don't have any money!"

"You can cook at the manor. I'll help." He said.

Sakura brightened. "It's a promise?"

"It's a promise."

* * *

Once they arrived at the Uchiha mansion, Sakura took a shower first in order to prepare the food. She was in the kitchen pulling out ingredients for a miso soup and rice. Expertly taking out a knife, she began to divide the soft tofu into little squares.

She detected his familiar presence but she didn't pay mind. "Have you decided to ignore me all of a sudden?" His rich tenor voice rumbled in her ear as a pair of strong arms wrapped around her skinny waist.

"What have you done with the real Sasuke?" She teased without looking at him. Sakura started on slicing the green onions.

"Thank you, Sakura." He whispered. She stopped slicing.

"For what?"

"For being my precious person. You and Naruto. You are the most precious person to me."

Sakura didn't want to believe it. It felt like this was all a dream and that if she believed it, it would disappear as if it hadn't ever been there. "Do you mean it?"

"I mean it. Not only here," he guided her hand to his temple, "but here too," and her hand over her heart.

Emotion swelled up inside of her. "When…?" She choked out, her throat clamping with a sob.

"From the moment you took me back. I just knew…"

"Do you know how long I've waited for you to say something like that?" She sniffed.

Sasuke chuckled. "I'm a slow learner."

"Do you—can you love me?"

His arms around her waist constricted as he pulled her closer to his bare chest. "I do and I can. I will."

"You romantic fool." She breathed, caught up in his smell and warmth.

"I rehearsed it in the shower."

Sakura wiggled her hips a little. Sasuke abruptly tensed. "Don't do that."

"I need to make dinner, Sasuke. I'm hungry." She said, trying to pry his arm off her waist.

"Tomorrow, meet me at the park." Sasuke said, releasing her.

"Hm?" She raised her eyebrow as she turned to face him. "Why?"

He smirked. "I have to propose somewhere, Sakura. I rather not be it in my kitchen."

Sasuke cut off her reply with a kiss. "Tomorrow. I need your answer tomorrow."

The next day, she said yes.

* * *

**Author's notes:** Am I late or am I late? I'm so sorry! I have no excuse to give! I just give all the blame to schoolwork! T-T

This chapter is shorter than the rest, but I really didn't know what else to write.

Finally done with the Akatsuki and things. I think this will be my final chapter that I will write. Wow, sheesh, this was a long story to write! I'm proud nonetheless. I hope you all enjoyed reading! It's been a pleasure writing!

Any last reviews will be appreciated! Love you all and I thank you all for those who regularly read this story.


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